Physics and Astronomy Calendar

A bottom-up approach is used to build an artificial cell as a programmable phospholipid vesicle. A cell-free expression system is encapsulated in phospholipid vesicles. The translation machinery is used as the hardware and the DNA as the software. In vitro transcription and translation is maintained a few days in cell-sized vesicles with the internal expression of membrane channel alpha-hemolysin. This toxin allows exchange of nutrients and removal of byproducts with an external feeding solution. To obtain a real homeostatic state, the synthetic membrane is transformed in an active interface, specific degradation mechanisms of the synthesized messengers and proteins are introduced in the vesicles. On a broader scope, with this approach we investigate the possibility to build and program soft robots with biomolecules. Perspectives and limitations will be discussed.