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How did scientists create the minimized synthetic cell Mycoplasma mycoides JCVI-syn3.0?
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synthetic biology
A scanning electron micrograph of cells of Mycoplasma mycoides JCVI-syn1.0—a synthetic bacterium.
Scientists at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) created the minimized synthetic cell Mycoplasma mycoides JCVI-syn3.0 by utilizing a process of genomic reduction applied to the previously developed M. mycoides JCVI-syn1.0.12
The production of this minimal cell involved two primary scientific approaches:
- Whole-genome design: Researchers selected specific DNA sequences and organized them to generate a functional, abbreviated genome.1
- Chemical synthesis: The designed genome was chemically synthesized and subsequently transplanted into a recipient cytoplasm to test for viability.1
The resulting organism, JCVI-syn3.0, contains 473 genes and 531,560 base pairs. It successfully demonstrated the ability to replicate and form colonies similar to those of its predecessor, JCVI-syn1.0, confirming that this reduced set of genes was sufficient to sustain life. This work represents a significant milestone in synthetic biology, as it helps define the minimal genetic requirements necessary for a living organism to function.1