# Darwinian Evolution of Self-Replicating DNA in a Synthetic Protocell

*PRI Rank #10 · Topics and Trends in Most Cited Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology Papers, Class of 2026*

*Canonical URL: https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/bacterial-genetics-and-biotechnology/2026/rank-10*

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Rank | #10 |
| 18m citations | 37 |
| Journal | Nature Communications |
| Year | 2024 |
| DOI | 10.1038/s41467-024-53226-0 |
| Corresponding authors | Christophe Danelon |
| Institution | Delft University of Technology, Netherlands |

**Ranking page:** [Topics and Trends in Most Cited Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology Papers, Class of 2026](https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/bacterial-genetics-and-biotechnology/2026)

**Paper link:** [10.1038/s41467-024-53226-0](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53226-0)

## Topics

Synthetic protocell · Liposome compartments · PURE system · Phi29 DNA polymerase · Terminal protein · Self-replicating linear DNA template · Replication-coupled transcription-translation · Darwinian evolution in vitro · Cell-free gene expression · DNA extraction and PCR re-encapsulation · Intermittent evolution protocol · Semi-continuous evolution protocol · Next-generation sequencing of enriched mutations · Reverse engineering of mutations · Selection advantage mutations · Context-dependent mutation effects · Minimal cell-free evolving system · Synthetic cell genetic complexity · Bacteriophage-derived replication machinery · In vitro DNA self-replicator

## Cite this ranking

```
Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/bacterial-genetics-and-biotechnology/2026. Accessed 2026-10-28.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459
```