We have been studying construction of an artificial cell as a molecular system through a constructive approach [1]. Recently, we succeeded in achieving a giant vesicle (GV)-based protocell in which replication of DNA proceeded. When a precursor of the membrane lipid was added to the dispersion of this protocell, the giant vesicle (GV) with amplified DNA grew and divided to produce a new GV in which the amplified DNA was partitioned. The GV-based protocell satisfied the requirement for an artificial cell [2]. The recent results related to this topic will also be presented.

[1] K. Kurihara, M. Tamura, K. Shohda, T. Toyota, K. Suzuki, and T. Sugawara, Self-reproduction of supramolecular giant vesicles combined with the amplification of encapsulated DNA, Nature Chemistry, 3 775-781 (2011), 菅原正、栗原顕輔、鈴木健太郎「人工細胞の夢ついに達成 ?! ―生命の起源に迫る第一歩」pp 43-49, 化学, 67 巻2 月号、化学同人（2012）

[2] J. W. Szostak, D. P. Bartel, P. L. Luisi, Synthesizing life. Nature 409, 387-390 (2001).