We Accidentally Built a Synthetic Cell Factory
Synthetic biology startup b.next now manufactures open-specification Cytosol kits for building synthetic cells and has shipped its 100th kit.
b.next began as an academic effort to solve interoperability in synthetic cell research and now operates a manufacturing plant producing Cytosol, core materials built to the open Nucleus specifications. The team rebuilt the open PURE system, a defined mix of 36 proteins, 31 small molecules, 43 tRNA, and ribosomes, after restrictive licensing and brittle single-source supply chains, including Roche and Sigma discontinuing tRNA sales, blocked access. The company has shipped its 100th kit and hosted workshops to disseminate open PURE protocols to the research community.
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