Synthetic biology concerns the engineering of man‐made living biomachines from
standardized components that can perform predefined functions in a (self‐) controlled …

Highlights•Minimal cell modular design: information, self-organization, and metabolism.•
Components encapsulation in cell-sized liposome.•Self-sustained system through cell-free …

We report on and provide a detailed characterization of the performance and properties of a
recently developed, all Escherichia coli, cell-free transcription and translation system. Gene …

Previous efforts to control cellular behaviour have largely relied upon various forms of
genetic engineering. Once the genetic content of a living cell is modified, the behaviour of …

The ability to evolve is a key characteristic that distinguishes living things from non-living
chemical compounds. The construction of an evolvable cell-like system entirely from non …

In all living organisms, genomic DNA continuously replicates by the proteins encoded in
itself and undergoes evolution through many generations of replication. This continuous …

Constructing a cell mimic is a major challenge posed by synthetic biologists. Efforts to this
end have been primarily focused on lipid-and polymer-encapsulated containers, liposomes …

The important role of vesicles in many aspects of cell function is well‐recognized, but only
recently have sophisticated imaging techniques begun to reveal their ubiquity in nature …

A major challenge in constructing artificial cells is the establishment of a recursive genome
replication system coupled with gene expression from the genome itself. One of the simplest …

Despite numerous and increasing attempts to define what life is, there is no consensus on
necessary and sufficient conditions for life. Accordingly, some scholars have questioned the …