01/07/2026 19:06 - Tecnologia
Scientists at the University of Minnesota, led by researcher Kate Adamala, announced the creation of SpudCell, the first synthetic cell capable of completing a full life cycle: feeding, growing, and replicating. The breakthrough, published in a 190-page document pending peer review, represents an unprecedented advance in synthetic biology.
"We have reproduced in chemistry what was previously only possible in biology: the complete set of cell behaviors. This demonstrates that life's most fundamental functions, such as growth and replication, do not need a mysterious magic spark," Adamala stated in the official announcement.
| Type | Size |
|---|---|
| SpudCell (synthetic) | 90,000 base pairs |
| Natural minimal microbe | ~113,000 base pairs |
| Human genome | 3 billion base pairs |
SpudCells reproduce the complete life cycle of a biological cell: genome selection and replication, growth, and resource acquisition through feeding. Unlike natural cells, they do not use a cytoskeleton for cell division, but instead employ proteins that gather on the membrane surface until causing it to rupture.
The team successfully used genetic modification to make these cells grow faster and produce more offspring. After five generations, the fastest-growing variant had surpassed the original, demonstrating that natural selection and competition operate even in fully synthetic chemical systems.
💊 Medicine
Creation of precise therapeutic molecules and personalized drugs
⚡ Clean Energy
Molecular transformations that industrial chemistry cannot achieve
🔬 Origin of Life
Understanding how the first organisms emerged on Earth
⚠️ Limitations: The journal Cell rejected the study. Currently, laboratories lack common standards for functional cells, and the technology still requires human intervention for cell division.
The team is creating Biotic, a non-profit research organization dedicated to the responsible development of chemically and functionally defined synthetic cells. "To fully realize the potential of this technology, we need a joint international effort," Adamala affirmed.
Source: Infobae / EFE
Alfredo S. Quiroga
