Synthetic cells mirror fundamental biological behaviors, like growth, metabolism, and mobility, but have lacked genotype-driven selection, which is essential for Darwinian evolution. Here, the authors introduce libraries of short DNA sequences as genotypes into fuel-dependent peptide-RNA-based coacervate droplets, identify sequences that partition on the droplets, and show they differentially affect the droplet phenotype.
- Corbin Machatzke
- Anna-Lena Holtmannspötter
- Job Boekhoven
