Beyond Biology: Creating Dynamic Synthetic Cells with Programmable DNA

Beyond Biology: Creating Dynamic Synthetic Cells with Programmable DNA

In a new study published inNatural chemistry, UNC-Chapel Hill researcher Ronit Freeman and her colleagues describe the steps they took to manipulate DNA and proteins -; essential building blocks of life -; to create cells that look and behave like body cells. This achievement is a first in the field and has implications for efforts in regenerative medicine, drug delivery systems, and diagnostic tools.

“With this discovery, we can envision the construction of materials or tissues that are sensitive to changes in their environment and can behave dynamically,” says Freeman, whose laboratory is in the Department of Applied Physical Sciences in the UNC College of Arts and Sciences.

Cells and tissues are made up of proteins that come together to perform tasks and form structures. Proteins are essential for forming a cell's framework, called the cytoskeleton. Without them, cells could not function. The cytoskeleton allows cells to be flexible, both in their shape and in their response to their environment.

Without using natural proteins, the Freeman Lab built cells with functional cytoskeletons that can change shape and respond to their environment. To do this, they used a new programmable peptide-DNA technology that causes peptides, the building blocks of proteins, and repurposed genetic material to work together to form a cytoskeleton.

DNA is not normally found in a cytoskeleton. We reprogrammed DNA sequences to act as architectural material, linking the peptides together. Once this programmed material was placed in a drop of water, the structures began to take shape.

Ronit Freeman, researcher, UNC-Chapel Hill

The ability to program DNA in this way means that scientists can create cells that perform specific functions and even fine-tune a cell's response to external stressors. While living cells are more complex than the synthetic cells created by the Freeman Lab, they are also more unpredictable and vulnerable to harsh environments such as extreme temperatures.

“The synthetic cells were stable even at 122 degrees Fahrenheit, opening the possibility of producing cells with extraordinary capabilities in environments normally unsuitable for human life,” says Freeman.

Instead of creating materials designed to last, Freeman says her materials are tailored to the purpose -; Perform a specific function and then change yourself to perform a new function. Their application can be customized by adding different peptide or DNA designs to program cells in materials such as fabrics or tissues. These new materials can be integrated into other synthetic cell technologies, all with potential applications that could revolutionize fields such as biotechnology and medicine.

“This research helps us understand what constitutes life,” says Freeman. “This synthetic cell technology will not only allow us to reproduce what nature does, but also create materials that surpass biology.”

Sources: