December 10, 2007 – 03:11
Enrico Fermi researchers have made simple cells comprising a fatty membrane containing just 36 enzymes and purified ribosomes.
The Italian team’s advance is to make simple cells which are essentially bags made up of a fatty membrane containing just 36 enzymes and purified ribosomes – microscopic components common to all cells which translate the genetic code into protein. The primitive cells are capable of manufacturing protein from one gene.
The team chose a fluorescent green protein found in jellyfish because it was easy to see, using a microscope, when the protein is being made. “We are trying to minimise any system we put in place for the cell,” said Dr Murtas. “We can prove at this point that we can have protein synthesis with a minimum set of enzymes – 36 at the moment.” He hopes the project will teach him about the earliest stirrings of life in Earth’s primeval slime some 3.5bn years ago.
