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from the can-artifical-cells-fight-artificial-bacteria? dept.
From a report by researchers at University of California - Davis:Artificial Cells Are Tiny Bacteria Fighters :
"Lego block" artificial cells that can kill bacteria have been created by researchers at the University of California, Davis Department of Biomedical Engineering. The work is reported Aug. 29 in the journal ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces.
"We engineered artificial cells from the bottom-up -- like Lego blocks -- to destroy bacteria," said Assistant Professor Cheemeng Tan, who led the work. The cells are built from liposomes, or bubbles with a cell-like lipid membrane, and purified cellular components including proteins, DNA and metabolites.
"We demonstrated that artificial cells can sense, react and interact with bacteria, as well as function as systems that both detect and kill bacteria with little dependence on their environment," Tan said.
The team's artificial cells mimic the essential features of live cells, but are short-lived and cannot divide to reproduce themselves. The cells were designed to respond to a unique chemical signature on E. coli bacteria. They were able to detect, attack and destroy the bacteria in laboratory experiments.
Finally, assassination by virus is possible.
Journal Reference:
Yunfeng Ding, Luis E. Contreras-Llano, Eliza Morris, Michelle Mao, Cheemeng Tan. Minimizing Context Dependency of Gene Networks Using Artificial Cells. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2018; DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b10029
(Score: 3, Interesting) by beernutz on Wednesday September 05 2018, @03:14AM (5 children)
Since they don't reproduce, i don't think they are considered a virus. I think that's a good thing though, especially in this case!
Seems like a VERY promising tech for targeting and killing things we don't like though.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 05 2018, @06:41AM
Unless a random defect comes along giving them that ability
(Score: 3, Interesting) by MostCynical on Wednesday September 05 2018, @10:34AM (1 child)
FTFY
What is stopping them?
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 2) by Taibhsear on Wednesday September 05 2018, @03:25PM
I went to the article to find out specifics but....
I'm guessing they selected only specific genes for the artificial cell's genome. If they leave out critical genes/enzymes for reproduction (like DNA polymerase for example) the cell would not replicate.
(Score: 2) by Bobs on Wednesday September 05 2018, @11:21AM
I think I have seen this movie: It is all fun and games until somebody accidentally injects themselves with the contaminated version.
More seriously, there is a different level of risk when dealing with microbes / organics.
What are the odds of one of these binding with another cell/bacteria/virus that does reproduce and evolve?
1 in a billion? 1 in a trillion?
The estimate is that in 1 person's gut there are over 40 Trillion bacteria. (https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/01/160111-microbiome-estimate-count-ratio-human-health-science/ )
So the odds of an 'unlikely' event happening are rather high. And we need to be much more careful because accidents will happen.
It sounds like a promising approach - hope it evolves into something safe and effective.
(Score: 2) by HiThere on Wednesday September 05 2018, @05:39PM
There's little similarity between these "artificial cells" and a virus. The article called them bacteria, and that's a LOT closer. They've got internal organelles, e.g., which bacteria do and viruses don't.
Javascript is what you use to allow unknown third parties to run software you have no idea about on your computer.