Scientists play God: Synthetic cells are given life

• The synthetic cells, in blue, and the original M mycoides cells

The breakthrough might eventually lead to the creation of cells to produce medicines and fuels, or combat climate change by absorbing greenhouse gases.

Experts yesterday hailed the discovery, which follows many years of painstaking work by scientists around the world. But there were also warnings about the possible pitfalls of creating artificial life in this way, including the potential for it to be used by bioterrorists.

So-called synthetic biology is being explored around the globe, with Edinburgh University among the leading centres in the UK.

Yesterday, Professor Ian Wilmut, the Dolly the sheep pioneer, described the breakthrough as a "step forward in our ability to breed organisms with specific and desirable abilities". The discovery was made by maverick genetics entrepreneur Dr Craig Venter and his team in the United States.

While the new cell has been dubbed by some a "Frankenstein's monster", scientists expressed wonder at the potential for such work to change humanity's future radically.

• Richard Kitney: 'This would just not be possible in the back of a garage'

Dr Venter defended himself against accusations that he was "playing God", saying: "That's a term that comes up every time there is a medical or scientific breakthrough associated with biology. It's been a goal of humanity from the earliest stages to control nature … that's how we got domesticated animals.

"This is the next stage in our understanding. It is a baby step in our understanding of how life fundamentally works and maybe how we can get some new handles on trying to control these microbial systems to benefit humanity."

Professor Julian Savulescu, Uehiro chair in practical ethics at Oxford University, said Dr Venter was "going towards the role of a god" by creating artificial life that could never have existed naturally.

Ethical campaigners also expressed concerns about the potential for the technology to be misused. The watchdog group Human Genetics Alert called for a moratorium on "synthetic life" research until there had been a full public debate and an effective system of global regulation was in place.

Director Dr David King said: "What is really dangerous is these scientists' ambitions for total and unrestrained control over nature, which many people describe as 'playing God'."

To create the man-made cell, Dr Venter's team started by mapping the genome – an organism's entire genetic make-up – of a bacterium called Mycoplasma mycoides. Another team then used this code to recreate the genome in a synthetic form, using chemicals rather than biological material.

These chemical blocks were pasted together by Dr Venter and his colleagues to create a complete synthetic copy of the original genome. This artificial material was then placed into another type of bacterium, which had its own genetic material taken out, creating a synthetic cell – though only the genome was synthetic.

Dr Venter and his colleagues created a code, similar to Morse code, to "write" within the DNA itself. They used the sequence of four DNA chemicals – thymine, guanine, cytosine and adenine – as a code for any letter, number or punctuation mark.

Using the code, the team included the names of the study co-authors, an e-mail address and even philosophical quotes, as a distinctive "watermark" on the synthetic genome.

Dr Venter likened the synthetic chromosome – the collection of genetic material – to new "software" which then "booted up" the cell. Driven by the new genome, the bacteria took on the appearance and behaviour of the original cell, generating different proteins and multiplying. Describing the achievement in the journal Science, Dr Venter said: "This is the first synthetic cell that's been made, and we call it synthetic because the cell is totally derived from a synthetic chromosome.

"This is an important step, we think, scientifically and philosophically. It's certainly changed my views of the definitions of life and how life works."

Prof Wilmut, director of the Centre for Regenerative Medicine at Edinburgh University, said the researchers had shown "a great technical ability to modify an organism by introducing an entire genome in this way. Human beings have selected organisms with desirable abilities for our own use for many years. In this way, yeasts have been modified to make them more suitable for beer, wine or bread production.

"In time, this new research may make it possible to extend the range of purposes for which we are able to breed organisms dramatically and in ways that we cannot yet imagine."

But Dr King, of Human Genetics Alert, urged caution. "The claim of authorship of nature goes hand in hand with the claim to monopoly patent rights over it," he said. "Scientists' understanding of biology falls far short of their technical capabilities." He added: "We have already learned to our cost the risks that gap brings, for the environment, animal welfare and human health."

Ethics expert Prof Savulescu said: "Venter is creaking open the most profound door in humanity's history, potentially peeking into its destiny.

"This is a step towards something controversial: creation of living beings with capacities and natures that could never have naturally evolved.

"The potential is in the far future, but real and significant – dealing with pollution, new energy sources, new forms of communication. But the risks are also unparalleled.

"We need new standards of safety evaluation for this kind of radical research, and protections from military or terrorist misuse and abuse."

The research, published yesterday, marked the culmination of 15 years' effort at a total cost of about 30 million.