德国马克斯·普朗克陆地微生物研究所Tobias J. Erb和Simone Giaveri共同合作，近期取得重要工作进展，他们在部分自合成的生化网络中整合翻译和代谢过程。相关研究成果2024年7月12日在线发表于《科学》杂志上。

据介绍，生物体的标志之一是它们的自组织和再生能力，这需要代谢和遗传网络的紧密整合。

研究人员试图在体外构建一个连接的代谢和遗传网络，在细胞环境之外显示出这种类似生命的行为，并从非生命物质中产生自己的构建块。研究人员使用重组元件将巴豆酰辅酶A/乙基丙二酰辅酶A/羟基丁酰辅酶A循环的代谢与无细胞蛋白质合成相结合。这一网络从CO₂中产生氨基酸甘氨酸，并按照DNA编码的指令将其整合到靶蛋白中。

通过协调约50种酶，研究人员建立了一个基本的无细胞操作系统，在该系统中，对代谢网络中的基因编码输入进行编程，以激活反馈回路，从而实现整个系统的自我整合和（部分）自我再生。

附：英文原文

Title: Integrated translation and metabolism in a partially self-synthesizing biochemical network

Author: Simone Giaveri, Nitin Bohra, Christoph Diehl, Hao Yuan Yang, Martine Ballinger, Nicole Paczia, Timo Glatter, Tobias J. Erb

Issue&Volume: 2024-07-12

Abstract: One of the hallmarks of living organisms is their capacity for self-organization and regeneration, which requires a tight integration of metabolic and genetic networks. We sought to construct a linked metabolic and genetic network in vitro that shows such lifelike behavior outside of a cellular context and generates its own building blocks from nonliving matter. We integrated the metabolism of the crotonyl-CoA/ethyl-malonyl-CoA/hydroxybutyryl-CoA cycle with cell-free protein synthesis using recombinant elements. Our network produces the amino acid glycine from CO2 and incorporates it into target proteins following DNA-encoded instructions. By orchestrating ~50 enzymes we established a basic cell-free operating system in which genetically encoded inputs into a metabolic network are programmed to activate feedback loops allowing for self-integration and (partial) self-regeneration of the complete system.

DOI: adn3856

Source: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adn3856