SpudCell
Type of artificial cell
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A SpudCell is a type of artificial cell capable of metabolism and assisted reproduction. The New York Times described SpudCells as "hav[ing] most of the hallmarks of life."[1][2] No report on SpudCells has been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
History
SpudCells were announced to the public on July 1, 2026 in a preprint.[3] Dr. Kate Adamala of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, leader of the team that created SpudCells, had previously submitted a paper to Cell, but it was "rejected... after one reviewer said SpudCells were not real biology."[4] John Glass of the J. Craig Venter Institute described their creation as "a landmark event in the history of biology."[5] The preprint submitted by Adamala's team stated that SpudCells took five researcher-years to develop.[5]
SpudCells were named as an homage to Sputnik, the first artificial satellite.[6]
Description
SpudCells have an extremely short genome of only 36 genes. Some of the genetic material came from E. coli[1], while other parts came from DNA viruses T7 and Phi29.[7] The cells were created in a "soup" (growth medium) containing biological molecules, to which "the building blocks of membranes" were added; these enclosed some of the soup, in some cases containing the right mix to begin metabolic action.[1] SpudCells have the genes to make ribosomes, but for unclear reasons do not make them. Ribosomes taken from E. coli, when added to the SpudCells, function for a time before ceasing.[1] SpudCells can neither regulate their metabolisms nor eliminate waste.[8]
SpudCells are also incapable of dividing on their own. Division has been accomplished in the lab by adding streptavidin for single division events and the use of a mechanical separating mesh for subsequent ones.[4] Evolutionary competition was also demonstrated artificially, by genetically engineering a version of SpudCells that acquire food more efficiently and having them compete for the same food supply as the original strain. The engineered version comprised a greater quantity of SpudCells when the experiment was complete, suggesting the improved version was out-competing the original.[1][4]
The researchers reported that SpudCells could "feed, grow and replicate." The growth medium also contains nucleotide bases and liposomes which contain transfer RNA derived from E. coli, sugars, lipids, and enzymes. SpudCells divide using a mechanism that does not involve a cytoskeleton.[6]