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SpudCell reportedly grows, divides and competes across generations, but isn't considered alive

A post describes SpudCell as a cell-like system built by University of Minnesota researchers from roughly 150–200 known molecules. It says protein tags attached to its membrane helped it divide.

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🧬 SCIENCE JUST CROSSED A LINE THAT ONCE SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE

For the first time, scientists have built a cell-like system from nonliving chemical components that can grow, replicate DNA, divide into daughter cells, and even compete with genetically different siblings across generations.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota created SpudCell from roughly 150–200 known molecules, assembling its components inside a cell-like membrane.

The most surprising breakthrough was figuring out how to make it divide. Instead of relying on the internal scaffolding used by ordinary cells, the team used protein tags attached directly to the membrane to trigger the physical separation of the cell.

Then something even more remarkable happened.

When researchers introduced a genetic change that increased production of a growth-related protein, those modified cells grew faster and eventually outcompeted their unmodified siblings.

That is essentially the raw mechanism behind natural selection.

TLDR

A post says SpudCell can grow, replicate DNA and divide. It says a genetic change made some cells grow faster and eventually outcompete unmodified cells. But the post stresses that SpudCell isn't considered alive: it needs external feeding and components such as ribosomes, and cannot sustain itself or reproduce outside a specially prepared lab environment.

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SpudCell reportedly grows, divides and competes across generations, but isn't considered alive

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