Researchers from Columbia University, MIT, and Harvard have used AI to explore whether life can function with fewer than the 20 amino acids typically used to build proteins. They engineered an E. coli strain that survived without a specific amino acid, isoleucine, in its ribosomal proteins, suggesting that life’s chemistry might be simplified. This study aims to understand what early life might have looked like, as scientists believe all life today descends from a single-celled organism over four billion years ago. The team used AI to improve the engineered bacteria’s survival, achieving a fitness level closer to natural E. coli. This research could help us understand the limits of life’s chemistry and the potential for simpler life forms.
QUESTION: How might simplifying the building blocks of life impact future scientific discoveries or technologies?
Scientists use AI to test whether life can run on only 19 amino acids
