"Cells" 3D simulates the behavior of living "minimal cells"

Scientists report that they have constructed a living "minimal cell" with its genome stripped down to its most basic parts -- and a computer model of the cell that reflects its behavior

The findings were published in the journal Cells

The genomes of the smallest cells are pared down, carrying genes necessary to replicate DNA, grow, divide and perform most of the other functions that define life

The simulation maps the precise locations and chemical signatures of thousands of cellular components in three-dimensional space at the atomic scale

To build the smallest cells, scientists turned to the simplest living cells—mycoplasma, a bacterium that parasitizes other organisms

Simulating something as massive and complex as a living cell requires decades of research data, says Luthey Schulten

"We built a computer model based on what we knew about the smallest cell, and then ran a simulation," Thornburg said.

Simulations give researchers insight into how actual cells "balance metabolism, genetic processes and the demands of growth," says Luthey Schulten

The simulations also allowed Thornburg to calculate the natural lifespan of messenger RNA, the genetic blueprint from which proteins are built

"We simulated all the chemical reactions inside a smallest cell -- from its birth until it divides two hours later," Thornburg said.

"We have developed a three-dimensional, fully dynamic kinetic model of the smallest living cell," said Luthey Schulten.

Fundamental behaviors emerge from simulations of a living minimal cell