Researchers at the University of Minnesota have engineered synthetic cells, designated as 'SpudCells,' which exhibit fundamental biological behaviors including growth and replication.

明尼蘇達大學的研究人員工程設計出被稱為「SpudCells」的合成細胞，這些細胞展現出包括生長與複製在內的基本生物行為。

The synthesis of SpudCells was achieved through the integration of synthetic DNA plasmids within lipid-based spheres known as liposomes. Unlike previous iterations of synthetic life, such as the 2010 bacterial-based organism developed by Craig Venter, these entities were constructed from the bottom up to ensure total chemical transparency. The operational viability of these systems is contingent upon an external medium rich in ATP and 'feeder' liposomes containing the ribosomes and enzymes necessary for protein synthesis.

SpudCells 的合成是透過將合成 DNA 質體整合到稱為脂質體（liposomes）的脂質球體中而實現的。與之前的合成生命（例如 2010 年由 Craig Venter 開發的基於細菌的生物體）不同，這些實體是從底層向上構建，以確保完全的化學透明度。這些系統的運行可行性取決於一個富含 ATP 的外部介質，以及含有蛋白質合成所需核糖體與酶的「餵食」脂質體。

From a functional perspective, the researchers demonstrated that these synthetic entities can undergo a complete cell cycle, including genetic replication and division. Furthermore, the application of evolutionary principles was observed as genetic variants with growth advantages successfully outcompeted original populations. Despite these milestones, the systems remain rudimentary; they lack autonomous metabolic control, an internal waste management mechanism, and exhibit instability in DNA transmission across generations, typically resulting in cessation of function after several cycles.

從功能角度來看，研究人員證明這些合成實體可以經歷一個完整的細胞週期，包括基因複製與分裂。此外，研究觀察到了進化原則的應用，具有生長優勢的基因變體成功擊敗了原始種群。儘管取得了這些里程碑，但這些系統仍然很原始；它們缺乏自主的代謝控制、內部廢物管理機制，且在跨代 DNA 傳遞中表現不穩定，通常在經過幾個週期後便會停止運作。

Stakeholder reactions to the development are bifurcated. Professor Tom Ellis of Imperial College London posits that the achievement provides a critical framework for identifying the minimum requirements for life and testing biological circuits. Conversely, Professor John Dupré of the University of Exeter suggests that the utility of these cells may be inferior to modified bacterial cells for industrial production and argues that the absence of symbiotic relationality limits their biological significance.

利益相關者對此開發的反應分為兩派。倫敦帝國學院的 Tom Ellis 教授認為，這項成就為確定生命的最低要求以及測試生物電路提供了一個關鍵框架。相反，埃克塞特大學的 John Dupré 教授則認為，就工業生產而言，這些細胞的實用性可能低於經過修飾的細菌細胞，並主張缺乏共生關係限制了其生物學意義。

The research concludes with the establishment of Biotic, a public benefit corporation intended to standardize this 'operating system for life' for global scientific application.

研究以成立 Biotic 為結論，這是一家公眾利益公司，旨在將這個「生命作業系統」標準化，以供全球科學應用。