DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — Genetics pioneer Craig Venter, who synthesized the complete DNA of a bacterium, didn't bring it to life, but he told The Associated Press on Friday he hopes that big step will happen in a matter of months.

Venter said such a process could ultimately lead to creating a new type of climate-friendly fuel, but he cautioned that practical applications would be years away.

The experiment, published online Thursday by the journal Science, is not a living germ, just its genetic structure, but Venter called it a big step forward in comparison to previous man-made life forms.

Making that DNA strand essentially come alive, by inserting it in a cell, is next, Venter said in an interview with AP.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iq2AbhffbxdrMAVGVRYbdbd6IAsgD8UD4SRO2