Synthetic Mycoplasma bacteria, TEM

Synthetic Mycoplasma bacteria, coloured transmission electron micrograph (TEM). The first self-replicating bacteria cell controlled by a synthetic genome was developed by scientists at the J. Craig Venter Institute, and announced in May 2010. The work involved producing a modified version of the Mycoplasma mycoides genome and inserting it into a Mycoplasma capricolum shell that had had its genetic material removed.