Let's say we have a DNA of a bacteria and we want to recreate the bacteria just from this DNA. Is it possible nowadays to get this DNA and insert it into some artificial solution so that from this DNA a bacteria coulb be grown?
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$\begingroup$ Please note that this is not simply an answer site, but instead a site that promotes self-learning with some expert help. Consequently, questions that show little or no prior research effort are off-topic on this site as are "homework" questions unless you have shown your attempt at an answer. Please edit your question and tell us where you've looked for answers, what you do know about the topic, and where exactly you still have questions. Please take the tour and consult the help center starting with How to Ask for details. $\endgroup$– tyersomeJul 17, 2022 at 20:54
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2 Answers
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There may be technical issues that make certain genomes easier to transplant than others, but it can and has been done. Craig Venter's lab used such a transplantation technique to discover what minimum set of genes are required for viability in an engineered bacteria.
answered Apr 22, 2020 at 13:41
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$\begingroup$ Actually what I'm really interested about is a possibility to create an organism just from DNA using just just some artificial solution neccesary for organism's growth etc. Or is it always necessary nowadays to transplant this DNA into some living organism? $\endgroup$– TKNApr 22, 2020 at 16:39
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3$\begingroup$ What is in your artificial solution? Nuclear proteins? TFs? Ribosomes? ATP? Floating balls of lipid bilayers? By the time you build this artificial solution that has what you need to get the necessary biochemistry going, you would effectively have the constituents of a cell, minus your DNA of interest. $\endgroup$ Apr 22, 2020 at 19:42
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Short answer-NO.
Long answer-NO, too. We are far from having the technology to do such feats of engineering no matter what some ill-informed pretenders say. We have the technology to create artificial genomes which could be integrated into real cells and good progress is made on creating artificial chromosomes, e. g. bodies containing the genetic information needed to sustain an organism, but we are far from being able to artificially create one.
And there is also the problem of infinite regress which no one seems to bother about but it's out there. It's essentially the notion of which component comes first in order to jump start a metabolism - whether you first put the genetic apparatus or the metabolism which is required to support it or you jumpstart them both. It's an issue that still hasn't been resolved yet.
So, NO, we aren't capable of creating artificial life yet and we aren't likely to be capable of creating it in the near future. That's the answer to your question.
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3$\begingroup$ I'm not denying the correctness of your answer but it would be nice to have some sources to help people put it into context. Thanks. $\endgroup$ Jul 16, 2022 at 20:52
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1$\begingroup$ Strongly agree with @user438383 — this is correct (and better than the other answer), but doesn't meet the current site standards. Please consider reviewing the tour and help center starting with How to Answer and How to Ask. I would also encourage you to focus on well asked questions rather than encouraging questions like this that show no evidence of the expected prior research. $\endgroup$– tyersomeJul 16, 2022 at 22:48
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1$\begingroup$ While this answer contains some correct information, you may want to expand into viruses, where it is certainly sometimes possible to create viruses from the genome alone or using plasmid-based systems (done for a bunch of viruses, including adenovirus, influenza, coronavirus, plant viruses, bunyaviruses etc.) $\endgroup$– bob1Jul 17, 2022 at 23:07
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$\begingroup$ This answer is incorrect, in addition to being poorly written. $\endgroup$ Aug 1, 2022 at 18:38