Divided we stand: splitting synthetic cells for their proliferation

Abstract

With the recent dawn of synthetic biology, the old idea of man-made artificial life has gained renewed interest. In the context of a bottom-up approach, this entails the de novo construction of synthetic cells that can autonomously sustain themselves and proliferate. Reproduction of a synthetic cell involves the synthesis of its inner content, replication of its information module, and growth and division of its shell. Theoretical and experimental analysis of natural cells shows that, whereas the core synthesis machinery of the information module is highly conserved, a wide range of solutions have been realized in order to accomplish division. It is therefore to be expected that there are multiple ways to engineer division of synthetic cells. Here we survey the field and review potential routes that can be explored to accomplish the division of bottom-up designed synthetic cells. We cover a range of complexities from simple abiotic mechanisms involving splitting of lipid-membrane-encapsulated vesicles due to physical or chemical principles, to potential division mechanisms of synthetic cells that are based on prokaryotic division machineries.

Microfluidic Handling and Analysis of Giant Vesicles for Use as Artificial Cells: A Review

“…[89,90] An alternative approach is to use external factors such as temperature, osmotic pressure, addition of lipids, or mechanical aggregation to divide liposomes. [89,90] An alternative approach is to use external factors such as temperature, osmotic pressure, addition of lipids, or mechanical aggregation to divide liposomes.…”

“…Another important process of living cells is division, and as such, efforts to reconstitute the protein machinery required for cellular division in artificial cell systems are already underway. [89,90] An alternative approach is to use external factors such as temperature, osmotic pressure, addition of lipids, or mechanical aggregation to divide liposomes. Recently, a simple microfluidic approach was used to induce and monitor division of giant lipid vesicles in a high-throughput manner.…”

Dynamic Synthetic Cells Based on Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation

“…[128,129] Growth and divisionh ave historically been investigated in membrane-boundm odel systems, including fatty acid [130,131] and lipid [128] vesicles. [128,129] Growth and divisionh ave historically been investigated in membrane-boundm odel systems, including fatty acid [130,131] and lipid [128] vesicles.…”

“…The design of modelm icrocompartments capable of growth and division offersg reat promise for understanding the minimal requirements for the self-reproduction of protocells on the early Earth and represents ac rucial step for the fabrication of synthetic cells capable of duplication, proliferation and-ultimately-evolution. [128,129] Growth and divisionh ave historically been investigated in membrane-boundm odel systems, including fatty acid [130,131] and lipid [128] vesicles. However, all-aqueous droplets produced by LLPS provide promisinga lternative modelsf or the construction of protocells capable of dynamic growth and division.…”

Lessons from a Minimal Genome: What Are the Essential Organizing Principles of a Cell Built from Scratch?

“…Am odel for division according to the archaeal CdvABC system. [97] For example, microfluidics provide ar eliable methodf or producing liposomes of homogenous size and shape. CdvB might be importantf or early-stage division, and the paralogues CdvB1 and CdvB2 could have roles in abscission.…”