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This photo provided by National Center for Imaging and Microscopy Research at the University of California at San Diego shows Electron micrographs of clusters of JCVI-Syn 3.0 cells magnified about 15,000 times.
Scientists have deleted nearly half the genes of a microbe, creating a stripped-down version that still functions, an achievement that might reveal secrets of how life works. It may also help researchers create new bacteria tailored for pumping out medicines and other valuable substances. The newly created bacterium has a smaller genetic code than does any natural free-living counterpart, with 531,000 DNA building blocks containing 473 genes. (Humans have more than 3 billion building blocks and more than 20,000 genes). But even this stripped-down organism is full of mystery. Scientists say they have little to no idea what a third of its genes actually do. The DNA code, or genome, is contained in a brand-new bacterium dubbed JCVI-syn3.0. (Photo by NCMIR/Thomas Deerinck/Mark Ellisman via AP Photo)
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