Fig. 2.

Vesicle division routes in a PURE system-based minimal cell. A programmable, genetically controlled minimal cell can be represented as a gene expression apparatus, the PURE system, encapsulated inside a semi-permeable liposome. a The two pathways envisioned for division are based on the production of membrane deforming proteins or of enzymes involved in lipid biosynthesis. b The PURE system can be broken down in four functional modules: transcription, translation, aminoacylation and energy regeneration. The numbers of purified proteins involved to execute the specific reactions are indicated in parentheses. Abbreviations: AAs, amino acids; NMPs, nucleotide monophosphates; NDPs, nucleotide diphosphates; NTPs, nucleotide triphosphates