US team creates first 'synthetic life' (bacteria cell controlled by a synthetic genome)

AFP on Yahoo ^ | 5/20/10 | Jean-Louis Santini

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US researchers have developed the first bacteria cell controlled by a synthetic genome, in a breakthrough which may pose philosophical and scientific questions about the bid to recreate life.

"This is the first synthetic cell that's been made," said lead researcher Craig Venter, as the discovery was unveiled.

"We call it synthetic because the cell is totally derived from a synthetic chromosome, made with four bottles of chemicals on a chemical synthesizer, starting with information in a computer."

The team said it now hopes to use the method it has developed "to probe the basic machinery of life and to engineer bacteria specially designed to solve environmental or energy problems."

The method could be used to design bacteria specifically to help produce biofuels or to clean up environmental hazards, said the study carried out by the J. Craig Venter Institute, and published in the journal Science.

"This becomes a very powerful tool for trying to design what we want biology to do. We have a wide range of applications (in mind)," said Venter, co-author of the first sequencing of the human genome in 2000.

The researchers synthesized the 1.08 million base pair genome of the bacterium Mycoplasma mycoides, created from four bottles of chemicals which make up the components of DNA.

[DManA]

Those baby blue eyes would Dr. Mengele a tingle up his legs.

[IrishCatholic]

Still, if not complete it is a concrete step towards validating the Intelligent Design Theory.
Nothing like unintended consequences.

[Stentor]

I mean... what could go wrong? /sarc

[Hacklehead]

“let’s engineer one that eats hydrocarbons, and release it in the Gulf to help clean up the oil spill... I mean... what could go wrong?”

An organism engineered to eat hydrocarbons in order to cleanup oil spills was created in the 70s. It was the first patented organism. To my knowledge it was never released.

[chuck_the_tv_out]

"Of course, the article reveals that the scientists, in fact, did not create life, they altered some of the DNA of an already living cell."

Of course.

[Gabrial]

This looks like a close-up from the unrated version of Avatar.

[James C. Bennett]

Accelerating evolution artificially requires intelligent design. How’s this for a grand, unified theory?

LOL!

[tx_eggman]

let's engineer one that eats hydrocarbons, and release it in the Gulf to help clean up the oil spill... I mean... what could go wrong?

We could call it Wormwood ...

[itsahoot]

The method could be used to design bacteria specifically to help produce biofuels

We already have something called algae, that can do that.

[itsahoot]

How long before it’s elected to national office?

Are you kidding? We already have him.

[BrandtMichaels]

Ping

[Rodamala]

We need to saturation bomb the entire mideast with oil eating bacteria bombs.

Wahabi fundamentalists will need to sell a F***LOAD of dates to continue to fund their jihadis.

[SunkenCiv]

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[nomad]

And what happens if some nutcase combines the properties of Anthrax, Bubonic Plague, Ebola Zaire, Influenza, and maybe a few others?

[SunkenCiv]

The survivors will all look like this:

[Robwin]

How long before it’s elected to national office?

It hasn't been? Darn! There goes my Pelosi theory.