Semi-synthetic minimal cells are defined as liposome-based synthetic cells that contain the minimal and sufficient number of macromolecular components in order to be defined as �alive�. Clearly, the design and the construction of minimal living cells require the establishment of the minimal number of life criteria. These have been generally described as self-maintenance, self-reproduction and evolution capability.The current approach to semi-synthetic minimal living cells exploits the combination between cell-free protein expression and liposome technology, and it is conceptually based on autopoietic theory. In the FP6 SYNTHCELL project, we investigated the expression of functional proteins inside lipid vesicles by using a minimal set of enzymes, t-RNAs and ribosomes (PURESYSTEM) at the aim of constructing functional cell models.In this contribution, I will discuss recent experimental advancements in the field of synthetic cell constructions, giving emphasis to their relevance in synthetic biology, self-organization and biocomplexity, and in origins of life studies.

Towards the construction of semi-synthetic minimal cells

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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