The ability to change one's DNA is often at the forefront of science fiction as the ultimate form of scientific innovation. The idea of being able to change the genetic makeup of one's self for health, aesthetic, or to push the limits of the human body is enchanting to many. There have been different methods by which this has been attempted with things like CRISPR/Cas9 wherein the cells and DNA are directly targeted and edited. However, research done by a group from UNC(University of North Carolina) and published in "Nature Chemistry" has found a way to make artificial cells that look and act like normal human cells.
The group managed to achieve this by creating an artificial cytoskeleton through lab-made proteins and new "programmable peptide-DNA nanotechnology" using DNA as a structure for the cytoskeleton to bind peptides together with actin connectors/crosslinkers. These new cells are now more easily programmable than natural ones and more resilient, being able to be stable even in degrees up to 122°F, meaning they are capable of being made to handle far more specific functions than those in the body. Ronit Freeman who was a lead on the team said that their cells are "made to task" rather than "made to last" implying that their cells would adapt to new tasks when they finish their first.
The end goal of this sort of research is to be able to make materials or even the human body itself "surpass biology". This could help both people and other living organisms live in more hostile environments like deserts, volcanic regions, and potentially other planets. The current issues of these cells are that they are simpler than natural cells and more resistant to external change which can hurt adaptability that isn't pre-programmed. Another potentially scary thought is how far would these cells go to changing the body while unregulated, another fear brought up in many sci-fi stories. I think that this alongside other forms of cell and DNA editing is a fantastic leap to a new age of the potential of human evolution against the "Great Filter Theory" in the future.
Sources:
- Chapel Hill, University of UNC. “Researchers Create Artificial Cells That Act like Living Cells.” Phys.Org, Science X, 23 Apr. 2024, phys.org/news/2024-04-artificial-cells.html.
- Daly, Margaret L., et al. “Designer Peptide–DNA Cytoskeletons Regulate the Function of Synthetic Cells.” Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 23 Apr. 2024, www.nature.com/articles/s41557-024-01509-w#Abs1.
-Dhali, Dipa. “Cytoskeleton: Definition, Structure, Components, & Function.” Science Facts, 17 Feb. 2023, www.sciencefacts.net/cytoskeleton.html.
This is certainly a tantalizing topic. Your title is enticing but a general reader might stumble over "cytoskeleton". The first graphic is interesting and helpful, but again it might be a little much for the general reader. You feature potential applications involving changing human biological limitations. While that is certainly interesting readers might more readily respond to potential applications in regenerative medicine, drug delivery systems and diagnostic tools. I like the second figure. It really attracts attention, but it could use a caption. Finally the general reader may or may not know anything about "Great Filter Theory". Overall a nice synopsis of a very interesting article probably of interest particularly to a somewhat biologically sophisticated reader, or a reader motivated to doing a little googling for unfamiliar terms or concepts.
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