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Approaches to semi-synthetic minimal cells: a review

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Abstract

Following is a synthetic review on the minimal living cell, defined as an artificial or a semi-artificial cell having the minimal and sufficient number of components to be considered alive. We describe concepts and experiments based on these constructions, and we point out that an operational definition of minimal cell does not define a single species, but rather a broad family of interrelated cell-like structures. The relevance of these researches, considering that the minimal cell should also correspond to the early simple cell in the origin of life and early evolution, is also explained. In addition, we present detailed data in relation to minimal genome, with observations cited by several authors who agree on setting the theoretical full-fledged minimal genome to a figure between 200 and 300 genes. However, further theoretical assumptions may significantly reduce this number (i.e. by eliminating ribosomal proteins and by limiting DNA and RNA polymerases to only a few, less specific molecular species). Generally, the experimental approach to minimal cells consists in utilizing liposomes as cell models and in filling them with genes/enzymes corresponding to minimal cellular functions. To date, a few research groups have successfully induced the expression of single proteins, such as the green fluorescence protein, inside liposomes. Here, different approaches are described and compared. Present constructs are still rather far from the minimal cell, and experimental as well as theoretical difficulties opposing further reduction of complexity are discussed. While most of these minimal cell constructions may represent relatively poor imitations of a modern full-fledged cell, further studies will begin precisely from these constructs. In conclusion, we give a brief outline of the next possible steps on the road map to the minimal cell.

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Notes

  1. The international meetings were the Third COST D27 Workshop held in Crete in October 2004 (http://cost.cordis.lu/src/action_detail.cfm?action=D27) and The International School on Complexity held in Erice, Sicily, in December 2004 (http://www.ccsem.infn.it). See also Szathmáry (2005).

  2. One of the referees, whom we particularly thank for acute comments, suggested that it would be actually useful to define ‘a hierarchy of “minimal cells”. Some members of this hierarchy might require extensive resources from the environment, such as high-energy compounds. Others might be able to survive in a nutrient-poor environment, presumably more compatible with the “primordial soup”. In fact, it would be quite interesting to analyse the differences between different members; they would be quite revealing as far as the nature of life goes’. This proposal may indeed be the basis for future developments of this kind of work on the minimal cell, particularly when experimental data become available on these different classes of artificial protocells.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the ‘Enrico Fermi’ Study Center (Rome) and COST D27 Action for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, University of RomaTre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy

    Pier Luigi Luisi & Pasquale Stano

  2. Biochemistry Department, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, 40126, Bologna, Italy

    Francesca Ferri

  3. Centro Studi ‘E. Fermi’, Compendio del Viminale, 00184, Rome, Italy

    Pasquale Stano

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Correspondence to Pier Luigi Luisi.

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Luisi, P.L., Ferri, F. & Stano, P. Approaches to semi-synthetic minimal cells: a review. Naturwissenschaften 93, 1–13 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-005-0056-z

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