Synthesising a minimal cell with artificial metabolic pathways

A “synthetic minimal cell” is considered here as a cell-like artificial vesicle reproduction system in which a chemical and physico-chemical transformation network is regulated by information polymers. Here we synthesise such a minimal cell consisting of three units: energy production, information polymer synthesis, and vesicle reproduction. Supplied ingredients are converted to energy currencies which trigger the synthesis of an information polymer, where the vesicle membrane plays the role of a template. The information polymer promotes membrane growth. By tuning the membrane composition and permeability to osmolytes, the growing vesicles show recursive reproduction over several generations. Our “synthetic minimal cell” greatly simplifies the scheme of contemporary living cells while keeping their essence. The chemical pathways and the vesicle reproduction pathways are well described by kinetic equations and by applying the membrane elasticity model, respectively. This study provides new insights to better understand the differences and similarities between non-living forms of matter and life.

Minoru Kurisu, Ryosuke Katayama, Yuka Sakuma, Toshihiro Kawakatsu, Peter Walde, Masayuki Imai