Creation of artificial cell with phenotype and genotype

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H04876
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Functional solid state chemistry
• Research Institution: Utsunomiya University (2020); Center for Novel Science Initatives, National Institutes of Natural Sciences (2018-2019); Okazaki Research Facilities, National Institutes of Natural Sciences (2017)
• Principal Investigator: KURIHARA KENSUKE 宇都宮大学, 共同教育学部, 研究員 (80740919)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 液滴

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study supports Oparin's coacervate hypothesis: peptide-based droplets were formed on the primitive Earth and that the first organisms were born from these droplets. Initially, we planned to construct a primitive cell using nucleic acids and a rigid lipid membrane. However, the interaction between the membrane and nucleic acids was stronger than expected. Therefore it was difficult to transfer information from the nucleic acids to the membrane. Here, we adopted the concept of the composome (individual composition is information), and were able to construct a primitive cell model from simple materials that are more similar to primitive cells. In this model, spontaneous formation of droplets of about 20 micrometer in size was observed by addition of molecules with a thioester skeleton to water at room temperature and 1 atm. When the synthesized molecule was added, the droplets repeatedly grew and divided ,that is, proliferated.

Free Research Field

界面化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来のRNAワールド仮説は、RNAが情報と触媒能を担い最初の生命となったとされている。またリピッドワールド仮説では、境界膜が最初の生命となったとされている。本研究では、それらの構成する分子よりもより、単純な分子、単純な組成で構成されている原子生命体でも、情報と境界が密接に連携していることが示唆された。
本液滴は、膜を持たない境界を採用したことで、各構成物をどの段階でも吸収できるため、非生命と生命の境界を探る上で、各ワールド仮説がいかに統合していったかを実験的に検証できる系といえる。