Job Boekhoven
@boekhovenlab.bsky.social
Prof. In Systems Chemistry trying synthesize life
We need to show that genotype is passed on to offspring during division, which we aim to do with our droplets that divide.
We should also show genes compete. For that, we need multiple (hundreds?) replicators combined to form a real genotype.
So, plenty of work to do.
t.co/OBBa6mEiGR
We should also show genes compete. For that, we need multiple (hundreds?) replicators combined to form a real genotype.
So, plenty of work to do.
t.co/OBBa6mEiGR
November 11, 2025 at 8:31 AM
We need to show that genotype is passed on to offspring during division, which we aim to do with our droplets that divide.
We should also show genes compete. For that, we need multiple (hundreds?) replicators combined to form a real genotype.
So, plenty of work to do.
t.co/OBBa6mEiGR
We should also show genes compete. For that, we need multiple (hundreds?) replicators combined to form a real genotype.
So, plenty of work to do.
t.co/OBBa6mEiGR
But the other way around is also true.
Hector designed the replicator to help the droplets live much longer during periods without fuel:
Genotype helps the phenotype.
Hector designed the replicator to help the droplets live much longer during periods without fuel:
Genotype helps the phenotype.
November 11, 2025 at 8:31 AM
But the other way around is also true.
Hector designed the replicator to help the droplets live much longer during periods without fuel:
Genotype helps the phenotype.
Hector designed the replicator to help the droplets live much longer during periods without fuel:
Genotype helps the phenotype.
So, Hector developped a replicator compatible with our droplets as a minimal genotype.
He used an autocatalyst from the Deveraj Lab and found that it can replicate
in droplets.
In fact, it copies itself better within droplets than outside them.
So, phenotype helps genotype.
He used an autocatalyst from the Deveraj Lab and found that it can replicate
in droplets.
In fact, it copies itself better within droplets than outside them.
So, phenotype helps genotype.
November 11, 2025 at 8:31 AM
So, Hector developped a replicator compatible with our droplets as a minimal genotype.
He used an autocatalyst from the Deveraj Lab and found that it can replicate
in droplets.
In fact, it copies itself better within droplets than outside them.
So, phenotype helps genotype.
He used an autocatalyst from the Deveraj Lab and found that it can replicate
in droplets.
In fact, it copies itself better within droplets than outside them.
So, phenotype helps genotype.
In biology, the genotype is the hereditary information that affects phenotype—our genome. We wonder if it needs to be DNA for new life forms.
As long as it is replicated, passed on to the next generation during division, and affects the phenotype of the synthetic cell, is it OK?
As long as it is replicated, passed on to the next generation during division, and affects the phenotype of the synthetic cell, is it OK?
November 11, 2025 at 8:31 AM
In biology, the genotype is the hereditary information that affects phenotype—our genome. We wonder if it needs to be DNA for new life forms.
As long as it is replicated, passed on to the next generation during division, and affects the phenotype of the synthetic cell, is it OK?
As long as it is replicated, passed on to the next generation during division, and affects the phenotype of the synthetic cell, is it OK?
These droplets compete for fuel, which acts as a selection pressure—if you, as a droplet, survive to the next round of fuel, you get to “live” another few minutes. If not, you start over again.
But, whether they survive or not, is completely stochastic—they have no genotype.
But, whether they survive or not, is completely stochastic—they have no genotype.
November 11, 2025 at 8:31 AM
These droplets compete for fuel, which acts as a selection pressure—if you, as a droplet, survive to the next round of fuel, you get to “live” another few minutes. If not, you start over again.
But, whether they survive or not, is completely stochastic—they have no genotype.
But, whether they survive or not, is completely stochastic—they have no genotype.
The work builds on our efforts towards synthetic life—a system capable of Darwinian evolution based on non-biological building blocks.
We use our fuel-dependent synthetic cells—droplets that emerge and grow when fuel is present, but decay when you forget to feed them.
We use our fuel-dependent synthetic cells—droplets that emerge and grow when fuel is present, but decay when you forget to feed them.
November 11, 2025 at 8:31 AM
The work builds on our efforts towards synthetic life—a system capable of Darwinian evolution based on non-biological building blocks.
We use our fuel-dependent synthetic cells—droplets that emerge and grow when fuel is present, but decay when you forget to feed them.
We use our fuel-dependent synthetic cells—droplets that emerge and grow when fuel is present, but decay when you forget to feed them.
Freshly published: "Primitive genotype-phenotype coupling in fuel-dependent synthetic cells"
Amazing work and a critical step towards synthetic life by Hector Soria and Leonie Kauling. A thread will follow soon:
t.co/9LfrnVYzoq
Amazing work and a critical step towards synthetic life by Hector Soria and Leonie Kauling. A thread will follow soon:
t.co/9LfrnVYzoq
November 6, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Freshly published: "Primitive genotype-phenotype coupling in fuel-dependent synthetic cells"
Amazing work and a critical step towards synthetic life by Hector Soria and Leonie Kauling. A thread will follow soon:
t.co/9LfrnVYzoq
Amazing work and a critical step towards synthetic life by Hector Soria and Leonie Kauling. A thread will follow soon:
t.co/9LfrnVYzoq
The offspring is short-lived without fuel. But we can save them by timing our refueling right.
Together with Henrike Niederholtmeyer's team, we built microfluidic devices enabling us to refuel the next generation and keep them "alive".
Together with Henrike Niederholtmeyer's team, we built microfluidic devices enabling us to refuel the next generation and keep them "alive".
May 30, 2025 at 9:53 AM
The offspring is short-lived without fuel. But we can save them by timing our refueling right.
Together with Henrike Niederholtmeyer's team, we built microfluidic devices enabling us to refuel the next generation and keep them "alive".
Together with Henrike Niederholtmeyer's team, we built microfluidic devices enabling us to refuel the next generation and keep them "alive".
When the droplets contain both long and short polymers, the long polymers aggregate into the tiny speckles—the future offspring. As the droplet runs out of fuel, it decays and spits out the next generation.
May 30, 2025 at 9:53 AM
When the droplets contain both long and short polymers, the long polymers aggregate into the tiny speckles—the future offspring. As the droplet runs out of fuel, it decays and spits out the next generation.
We developed fuel-dependent synthetic cells—droplets that require fuel to emerge and sustain themselves. When you forget to feed them, they will decay.
We have now figured out how they can produce offspring.
We have now figured out how they can produce offspring.
May 30, 2025 at 9:53 AM
We developed fuel-dependent synthetic cells—droplets that require fuel to emerge and sustain themselves. When you forget to feed them, they will decay.
We have now figured out how they can produce offspring.
We have now figured out how they can produce offspring.
Check out Monika's work published in @cp-chem.bsky.social!
We’ve engineered synthetic cells that emerge, grow, and produce offspring autonomously, powered by chemical fuel. A significant stride towards synthetic life!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We’ve engineered synthetic cells that emerge, grow, and produce offspring autonomously, powered by chemical fuel. A significant stride towards synthetic life!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
May 30, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Check out Monika's work published in @cp-chem.bsky.social!
We’ve engineered synthetic cells that emerge, grow, and produce offspring autonomously, powered by chemical fuel. A significant stride towards synthetic life!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We’ve engineered synthetic cells that emerge, grow, and produce offspring autonomously, powered by chemical fuel. A significant stride towards synthetic life!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Excitingly, when we allow the droplets to fuse, the emulsion starts oscillations between periods of small and large droplets.
Tiny droplets rain down and fuse at the bottom. There, the large droplets shrink and new tiny droplets nucleate on top.
Tiny droplets rain down and fuse at the bottom. There, the large droplets shrink and new tiny droplets nucleate on top.
April 25, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Excitingly, when we allow the droplets to fuse, the emulsion starts oscillations between periods of small and large droplets.
Tiny droplets rain down and fuse at the bottom. There, the large droplets shrink and new tiny droplets nucleate on top.
Tiny droplets rain down and fuse at the bottom. There, the large droplets shrink and new tiny droplets nucleate on top.
If influx scales with surface area and efflux with volume, tiny droplets grow and big ones should shrink.
That's exactly what we see in the experiments. Droplets adjust their size until they are all the same size.
That's exactly what we see in the experiments. Droplets adjust their size until they are all the same size.
April 25, 2025 at 12:32 PM
If influx scales with surface area and efflux with volume, tiny droplets grow and big ones should shrink.
That's exactly what we see in the experiments. Droplets adjust their size until they are all the same size.
That's exactly what we see in the experiments. Droplets adjust their size until they are all the same size.
We built "active" droplets to test a hypothesis: Chemical reactions can regulate droplet size.
In our active droplets, molecules are activated outside the droplet, while deactivated in the droplet.
That way, influx scales with surface area and efflux scales with volume.
In our active droplets, molecules are activated outside the droplet, while deactivated in the droplet.
That way, influx scales with surface area and efflux scales with volume.
April 25, 2025 at 12:32 PM
We built "active" droplets to test a hypothesis: Chemical reactions can regulate droplet size.
In our active droplets, molecules are activated outside the droplet, while deactivated in the droplet.
That way, influx scales with surface area and efflux scales with volume.
In our active droplets, molecules are activated outside the droplet, while deactivated in the droplet.
That way, influx scales with surface area and efflux scales with volume.
How can a cell control the size of its organelles?
Excited to share a mechanism to control droplet size we recently found.
a 🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Excited to share a mechanism to control droplet size we recently found.
a 🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
April 25, 2025 at 12:32 PM
How can a cell control the size of its organelles?
Excited to share a mechanism to control droplet size we recently found.
a 🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Excited to share a mechanism to control droplet size we recently found.
a 🧵
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Excited to give a lecture this Friday at the University of Barcelona. More info here:
dqio.ub.edu
dqio.ub.edu
February 5, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Excited to give a lecture this Friday at the University of Barcelona. More info here:
dqio.ub.edu
dqio.ub.edu
Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, also for protocells. Too much fuel completely converts the vesicles into oil droplets.
That gives beautiful movies, but it is the end of the protocell.
That gives beautiful movies, but it is the end of the protocell.
December 4, 2024 at 11:31 AM
Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, also for protocells. Too much fuel completely converts the vesicles into oil droplets.
That gives beautiful movies, but it is the end of the protocell.
That gives beautiful movies, but it is the end of the protocell.
The trick is to convert part of the fatty acids in the bilayer into their corresponding anhydride with the fuel. When the anhydrides hydrolyze, they locally create an excess of lipids that buds out as vesicles.
December 4, 2024 at 11:31 AM
The trick is to convert part of the fatty acids in the bilayer into their corresponding anhydride with the fuel. When the anhydrides hydrolyze, they locally create an excess of lipids that buds out as vesicles.
Now published in JACS! Pablo found an easy way to divide fatty acid-based protocells.
Simplicity first: All you need is to add carbodiimide as fuel!
pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
Simplicity first: All you need is to add carbodiimide as fuel!
pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
December 4, 2024 at 11:24 AM
Now published in JACS! Pablo found an easy way to divide fatty acid-based protocells.
Simplicity first: All you need is to add carbodiimide as fuel!
pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
Simplicity first: All you need is to add carbodiimide as fuel!
pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....
It finally arrived! Excited to dig in! @saraimari.bsky.social
November 26, 2024 at 7:47 PM
It finally arrived! Excited to dig in! @saraimari.bsky.social
Accepted! Soon, in your favorite American chemistry journal🥳!
November 22, 2024 at 3:03 PM
Accepted! Soon, in your favorite American chemistry journal🥳!
Hey all!
I'm just checking in at BlueSky and excited to see the recent surge in activity.
❤️ these cute raining droplets if you want me to follow you. (notice the oscillation?)
Follow me if ur interested in systems chem, droplets, self-assembly, synthetic life, non-equilibrium systems, and more!
I'm just checking in at BlueSky and excited to see the recent surge in activity.
❤️ these cute raining droplets if you want me to follow you. (notice the oscillation?)
Follow me if ur interested in systems chem, droplets, self-assembly, synthetic life, non-equilibrium systems, and more!
November 18, 2024 at 12:10 PM
Hey all!
I'm just checking in at BlueSky and excited to see the recent surge in activity.
❤️ these cute raining droplets if you want me to follow you. (notice the oscillation?)
Follow me if ur interested in systems chem, droplets, self-assembly, synthetic life, non-equilibrium systems, and more!
I'm just checking in at BlueSky and excited to see the recent surge in activity.
❤️ these cute raining droplets if you want me to follow you. (notice the oscillation?)
Follow me if ur interested in systems chem, droplets, self-assembly, synthetic life, non-equilibrium systems, and more!