7. On early cells:

The simplest cells on our Earth contain at least 500-600 genes, and more generally several thousands. This observation elicits the question, whether this high complexity is really necessary for the simplest form of cellular life, also in view of the fact that early cells in the origin of life and evolution could not have been so complex as modern cells. This would imply that the first early cells were alive (although perhaps in a kind of “limping” life form) with a much smaller number of genes. In turn, this brings to the working hypothesis of constructing in the laboratory, models of early cells, displaying a kind of primitive cellular life (self-maintenance + self-reproduction + evolvability) based on a number of genes which is one order of magnitude smaller than the present day simplest cells. Say a living cell with 30-40 genes. Do you believe that this is indeed a possibility?