Nature is beautiful, powerful and essential. But nature is not always gentle. The same biological world that gives rise to ...

From why it was created to whether it’s alive, here’s what to know about SpudCell, the latest advance in synthetic biology.

Scientists say they have built a cell from scratch for the first time that feeds, grows and replicates like a natural cell, a ...

A protein located in the wrong part of a cell can contribute to several diseases, such as Alzheimer's, cystic fibrosis, and cancer. But there are about 70,000 different proteins and protein variants ...

Scientists built a synthetic cell that combines more lifelike properties than ever before — proof of concept that it’s possible to bring nonliving materials to life, or something close to it, in the ...

In this case, the gene encoding T7 RNA polymerase was added to the SpudCell genome, and it was made by those artificial cells. The last element needed here is the translation of RNAs into proteins.

Different parts of a cell’s genome can be active or inactive depending on the cell’s function in the body, and whether it is in a disease state. The instructions for activating or repressing a gene ...