Building a community to engineer synthetic cells and organelles from the bottom-up

Abstract

Employing concepts from physics, chemistry and bioengineering, 'learning-by-building' approaches are becoming increasingly popular in the life sciences, especially with researchers who are attempting to engineer cellular life from scratch. The SynCell2020/21 conference brought together researchers from different disciplines to highlight progress in this field, including areas where synthetic cells are having socioeconomic and technological impact. Conference participants also identified the challenges involved in designing, manipulating and creating synthetic cells with hierarchical organization and function. A key conclusion is the need to build an international and interdisciplinary research community through enhanced communication, resource-sharing, and educational initiatives.

ATP Recycling Fuels Sustainable Glycerol 3-Phosphate Formation in Synthetic Cells Fed by Dynamic Dialysis

“…Synthetic biologists are joining forces internationally to build cellular mimics from the bottom up that stay away from thermodynamic equilibrium − and display life-like properties, including physicochemical homeostasis, − subcompartmentalization, − sensing/communication, − protein synthesis, , DNA replication, , energy and cofactor (re)­generation, ,,, membrane growth, − division, , and Darwinian evolution . Synthetic cells are envisioned as selectively open systems where phospholipid bilayers maintain electrochemical gradients and provide spatial confinement to a sustainable minimal metabolism, while embedded membrane proteins promote directional communication and transport with the external environment. ,,,, Importantly, internal recycling networks complementary to the protein-mediated exchange of nutrients and waste products are key to avoiding thermodynamic equilibrium.…”

Bottom-up assembly of viral replication cycles

“…New fundamental knowledge about the mechanisms underlaying life, such as the physical principles of cell division 1 , cellular motility 2 , cell communication 3 and morphogenesis 4 has been achieved by the application of in vitro reconstitution approaches. In the present context, we define bottom-up synthetic biology as a field that strives to construct minimal life-like materials by bottom-up reconstitution of cellular phenomena in vitro 5 . Towards this, biological and artificial building blocks are applied to create molecular structures that feature functions inherent to life.…”

Actomyosin-Driven Division of a Synthetic Cell

“…Bottom-up synthetic biology is an emerging field at the interface of cell biology, chemistry, and physics. Several national and international initiatives have been founded recently, which are aimed at reconstituting synthetic cells that can autonomously grow and divide. , As a chassis, usually giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are used, which are cell-sized (5–50 μm) containers enveloped in a lipid bilayer. − One of the key functions that a synthetic cell must be able to perform in order to be considered lifelike is cytokinesis, a process in which a cell physically splits into two daughter cells. To reconstitute cytokinesis, various strategies are being pursued, inspired by biological strategies employed by prokaryotic, archaeal, or eukaryotic cells. , These biological systems have in common that cell division is accomplished by a cytoskeletal protein machinery, often ring-shaped, that assembles at the cell equator.…”

“…Several national and international initiatives have been founded recently, which are aimed at reconstituting synthetic cells that can autonomously grow and divide. 1 , 2 As a chassis, usually giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) are used, which are cell-sized (5–50 μm) containers enveloped in a lipid bilayer. 3 − 6 One of the key functions that a synthetic cell must be able to perform in order to be considered lifelike is cytokinesis, 7 a process in which a cell physically splits into two daughter cells.…”