Thursday, May 20, 2010

Venter Makes First 'Synthetic Cell'

MSNBC reports It's alive! Artificial DNA controls life

"It may not quite be 'Frankenstein,' but for the first time scientists have created an organism controlled by completely human-made DNA. Using the tools of synthetic biology, scientists from the J. Craig Venter Institute installed a completely artificial genome inside a host cell without DNA. Like the bolt of lightning that awakened Frankenstein, the new genome invigorated the host cell, which began to grow and reproduce, albeit with a few problems. The research marks a technical milestone in the synthesis and implantation of artificial DNA."

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