Computer Simulation of the Detailed Life Cycle of a Cell

As reported in the peer reviewed journal Cell, Stanford researchers have created a whole-cell computer model of a cell that predicts the phenotype of the cell and its activities by inputs of its molecular components. The model, which is of the human parasite Mycoplasma genitalium, "provides insights into many previously unobserved cellular behaviors, including in vivo rates of protein-DNA association and an inverse relationship between the durations of DNA replication initiation and replication. In addition, experimental analysis directed by model predictions identified previously undetected kinetic parameters and biological functions." Many are already hailing this as a scientific breakthrough.