We introduced a positive feedback loop into a LacI-dependent gene expression system in
lipid vesicles, producing a cell-like system that senses and responds to an external signal …

The chemical construction of complex colloidosomes consisting of a molecularly crowded
polyelectrolyte-enriched interior surrounded by a continuous shell of closely packed silica …

Riboswitches are sequences of RNA that control gene expression via RNA–ligand
interactions, without the need for accessory proteins. Riboswitches consist of an aptamer …

Synthetic biologists typically construct new pathways within existing cells. While useful, this
approach in many ways ignores the undefined but necessary components of life. A growing …

The mystery of the origin of life can be divided into two parts. The first part is the origin of
biomolecules: under what physicochemical conditions did biomolecules such as amino …

This paper aims to provide a philosophical and theoretical account of biological
communication grounded in the notion of organisation. The organisational approach …

Replication is a central function of living organisms. Several types of replication systems
have been constructed in vitro from various molecules, including peptides, DNA, RNA, and …

Artificial protocells operating under non-equilibrium conditions offer a new approach to
achieve dynamic features with life-like properties. Using coacervate micro-droplets …

Here we report two novel synthetic riboswitches that respond to ASP2905 and theophylline
and function in reconstituted cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) system. We encapsulated the …

As interest shifts from individual molecules to systems of molecules, an increasing number of
laboratories have sought to build from the bottom up cellular mimics that better represent the …