A Minimal Cell Computer model of the JCVI-syn3A, the engineered Mycoplasma single cell synthetic organism.
Researchers at the Carl Woese Institute for Genomic Biology used the the JvC Institute synthetic Mycoplasma (JCVI-syn3.0) to develop a three-dimensional, fully dynamic kinetic computer model of a living minimal cell that mimics what goes on in the actual cell.       THey usied the JCVI-syn3A Mycoplasma cells with its minimum 493 genes.  The computer simulation maps out the precise location and chemical characteristics of thousands of cellular components in 3D space at an atomic scale. It tracks how long it takes for these molecules to diffuse through the cell and encounter one another, what kinds of chemical reactions occur when they do, and how much energy is required for each step.
The model revealed that the cell used the bulk of its energy to import essential ions and molecules across its cell membrane.    The model also was used to calculate the natural lifespan of messenger RNAs and to reveal a relationship between the rate at which lipids and membrane proteins were synthesized and changes in membrane surface area and cell volume.    The kinetic model opens a window on the inner workings of the cell, showing cell biologists how all of the components interact and change in response to internal and external cues.    Toolkit

                     

Synthetic Biologist Toolkit

The properties of a cell spring from its genome and Venter (2010 - JVCI-syn3.0) created a new cell by inserting a synthetic genome into a bacterium. Now researchers around the world are making genetically engineered organisms to posses metabolic pathways capable of making pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbon-based fuels, even cyanobacteria that make diesel fuels from light, water and CO2. Biologist can now turn to studying cells than may be created through experimental manipulation rather tahn studying only cell available in nature

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