Synell Creation, Evolution, And Digital Transmission

Abstract

Synells are created by encapsulating components and iteratively optimizing each synell for a desired trait. Each synell is tested during each iteration. Failed synells are discarded. Additional synell components are added during each iteration, with iterative optimization being repeated until synells having the trait are created. A method for synell reproduction includes creating a synell having a desired trait, determining a recipe for the synell, digitizing the recipe, and transmitting the digitized recipe to another location. The recipe is reconstituted at the other location and the synell is reproduced using the recipe. On-demand biosynthesis of synells includes generating droplets containing different synell components within a microfluidic device, fusing them into combinations, and storing them until a request for a synell having a particular trait is received. Fused droplets having the component combination for the trait, or being combinable to produce it, are retrieved and encapsulated to form the requested synell.

1 . A method for creating ensembles of identical synells, comprising:
 creating a plurality of synells having a trait of interest, wherein each individual synell comprises a synell compartment encapsulating at least one synell component, wherein a synell component comprises a non-living molecular building block substance required for the synell to exhibit the trait of interest, and wherein the trait of interest comprises at least one of a particular synell function or composition, the step of creating comprising:
 for each individual synell in the plurality of synells, encapsulating at least one synell component within the synell compartment to create an intermediate synell; 
 iteratively building each individual synell having the trait of interest by performing an iterative building cycle comprising the steps of:
 testing the intermediate synell for the presence of the synell component; 
 if the intermediate synell fails the test, removing the failed intermediate synell; and 
 if the intermediate synell passes the test, adding at least one additional synell component to the intermediate synell; and 
 
 repeating the iterative building cycle until a synell having the trait of interest has been created. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the iterative building cycle is under computer control. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the iterative building cycle takes place in a microfluidic device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of testing is carried out via flow cytometry. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of adding employs at least one microfluidic droplet injector. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the trait is synell function. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the trait is synell composition. 
     
     
         8 . A method for synell reproduction, comprising the steps of:
 creating a synell having a desired trait;   determining a recipe for the synell;   digitizing the determined recipe;   performing at least one of the steps of:
 storing the digitized recipe electronically at the current location; and 
 transmitting the digitized recipe to, and receiving it at, at least one other location; 
   retrieving the digitized recipe;   reconstituting the determined recipe from the digitized recipe at at least one of the current or other locations; and   reproducing the synell by creating at least one new synell using the reconstituted determined recipe.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of creating employs iterative design optimization to achieve the desired trait. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the trait is synell function. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the trait is synell composition. 
     
     
         12 . A method for on-demand biosynthesis of synells, comprising:
 generating a plurality of droplets or liposomes containing different synell components within a microfluidic device;   fusing the generated droplets or liposomes into a plurality of prespecified component combinations;   storing the fused droplets or liposomes separately within a microfluidic storage device;   recording the location within the microfluidic storage device of fused droplets or liposomes having each type of component combination;   upon receiving a request for a synell having a particular trait, retrieving fused droplets or liposomes from the microfluidic storage device that have the component combination for the requested synell or that may be combined to produce the requested synell; and   encapsulating the retrieved droplets or liposomes to form at least one requested synell.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the trait is synell function. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the trait is synell composition. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each synell further comprises subcompartments within the synell compartment and the method further comprises encapsulating at least one synell component within each subcompartment.