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Sett A, Gadewar M, Babu MA, Panja A, Sachdeva P, Almutary AG, Upadhye V, Jha SK, Jha NK. Orchestration and theranostic applications of synthetic genome with Hachimoji bases/building blocks. Chem Biol Drug Des 2024; 103:e14378. [PMID: 38230795 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic genomics is a novel field of chemical biology where the chemically modified genetic alphabets have been considered in central dogma of life. Tweaking of chemical compositions of natural nucleotide bases could be developed as novel building blocks of DNA/RNA. The modified bases (dP, dZ, dS, and dB etc.) have been demonstrated to be adaptable for replication, transcription and follow Darwinism law of evolution. With advancement of chemical biology especially nucleotide chemistry, synthetic genetic codes have been discovered and Hachimoji nucleotides are the most important and significant one among them. These additional nucleotide bases can form orthogonal base-pairing, and also follow Darwinian evolution and other structural features. In the Hachimoji base pairing, synthetic building blocks are formed using eight modified nucleotide (DNA/RNA) letters (hence the name "Hachimoji"). Their structural conformations, like polyelectrolyte backbones and stereo-regular building blocks favor thermodynamic stability and confirm Schrodinger aperiodic crystal. From the structural genomics aspect, these synthetic bases could be incorporated into the central dogma of life. Researchers have shown Hachimoji building blocks were transcribed to its RNA counterpart as a functional fluorescent Hachimoji aptamer. Apart from several unnatural nucleotide base pairs maneuvered into its in vitro and in vivo applications, this review describes future perspective towards the development and therapeutic utilization of the genetic codes, a primary objective of synthetic and chemical biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arghya Sett
- ERIN Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 5 Av. des Hauts-Fourneaux, Belval, 4362, Esch, Luxembourg
| | - Manoj Gadewar
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical and Allied Sciences, K R Mangalam University, Gurgaon, India
| | - M Arockia Babu
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura, India
| | | | | | - Abdulmajeed G Almutary
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Vijay Upadhye
- Centre of Research for Development (CR4D) and Department of Microbiology, Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
| | - Saurabh Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering and Technology, Sharda University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Niraj Kumar Jha
- Centre for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India
- Centre of Research Impact and Outreach, Chitkara University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Chitkara University, Punjab, India
- School of Bioengineering & Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, 144411, India
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering and Food Technology, Chandigarh University, Mohali, 140413, India
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Matteau D, Lachance J, Grenier F, Gauthier S, Daubenspeck JM, Dybvig K, Garneau D, Knight TF, Jacques P, Rodrigue S. Integrative characterization of the near-minimal bacterium Mesoplasma florum. Mol Syst Biol 2020; 16:e9844. [PMID: 33331123 PMCID: PMC7745072 DOI: 10.15252/msb.20209844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The near-minimal bacterium Mesoplasma florum is an interesting model for synthetic genomics and systems biology due to its small genome (~ 800 kb), fast growth rate, and lack of pathogenic potential. However, fundamental aspects of its biology remain largely unexplored. Here, we report a broad yet remarkably detailed characterization of M. florum by combining a wide variety of experimental approaches. We investigated several physical and physiological parameters of this bacterium, including cell size, growth kinetics, and biomass composition of the cell. We also performed the first genome-wide analysis of its transcriptome and proteome, notably revealing a conserved promoter motif, the organization of transcription units, and the transcription and protein expression levels of all protein-coding sequences. We converted gene transcription and expression levels into absolute molecular abundances using biomass quantification results, generating an unprecedented view of the M. florum cellular composition and functions. These characterization efforts provide a strong experimental foundation for the development of a genome-scale model for M. florum and will guide future genome engineering endeavors in this simple organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominick Matteau
- Département de biologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQCCanada
| | | | - Frédéric Grenier
- Département de biologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQCCanada
| | - Samuel Gauthier
- Département de biologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQCCanada
| | | | - Kevin Dybvig
- Department of GeneticsUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamALUSA
| | - Daniel Garneau
- Département de biologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQCCanada
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Huh H, Wong S, St Jean J, Slavcev R. Bacteriophage interactions with mammalian tissue: Therapeutic applications. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2019; 145:4-17. [PMID: 30659855 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2019.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The human body is a large reservoir for bacterial viruses known as bacteriophages (phages), which participate in dynamic interactions with their bacterial and human hosts that ultimately affect human health. The current growing interest in human resident phages is paralleled by new uses of phages, including the design of engineered phages for therapeutic applications. Despite the increasing number of clinical trials being conducted, the understanding of the interaction of phages and mammalian cells and tissues is still largely unknown. The presence of phages in compartments within the body previously considered purely sterile, suggests that phages possess a unique capability of bypassing anatomical and physiological barriers characterized by varying degrees of selectivity and permeability. This review will discuss the direct evidence of the accumulation of bacteriophages in various tissues, focusing on the unique capability of phages to traverse relatively impermeable barriers in mammals and its relevance to its current applications in therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haein Huh
- School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 10A Victoria St S, Kitchener N2G 1C5, Canada
| | - Shirley Wong
- School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 10A Victoria St S, Kitchener N2G 1C5, Canada
| | - Jesse St Jean
- School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 10A Victoria St S, Kitchener N2G 1C5, Canada
| | - Roderick Slavcev
- School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 10A Victoria St S, Kitchener N2G 1C5, Canada.
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Cloning, Assembly, and Modification of the Primary Human Cytomegalovirus Isolate Toledo by Yeast-Based Transformation-Associated Recombination. mSphere 2017; 2:mSphere00331-17. [PMID: 28989973 PMCID: PMC5628293 DOI: 10.1128/mspheredirect.00331-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The genomes of large DNA viruses, such as human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), are difficult to manipulate using current genetic tools, and at this time, it is not possible to obtain, molecular clones of CMV without extensive tissue culture. To overcome these limitations, we used synthetic biology tools to capture genomic fragments from viral DNA and assemble full-length genomes in yeast. Using an early passage of the HCMV isolate Toledo containing a mixture of wild-type and tissue culture-adapted virus. we directly cloned the majority sequence and recreated the minority sequence by simultaneous modification of multiple genomic regions. Thus, our novel approach provides a paradigm to not only efficiently engineer HCMV and other large DNA viruses on a genome-wide scale but also facilitates the cloning and genetic manipulation of primary isolates and provides a pathway to generating entirely synthetic genomes. Genetic engineering of cytomegalovirus (CMV) currently relies on generating a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) by introducing a bacterial origin of replication into the viral genome using in vivo recombination in virally infected tissue culture cells. However, this process is inefficient, results in adaptive mutations, and involves deletion of viral genes to avoid oversized genomes when inserting the BAC cassette. Moreover, BAC technology does not permit the simultaneous manipulation of multiple genome loci and cannot be used to construct synthetic genomes. To overcome these limitations, we adapted synthetic biology tools to clone CMV genomes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using an early passage of the human CMV isolate Toledo, we first applied transformation-associated recombination (TAR) to clone 16 overlapping fragments covering the entire Toledo genome in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Then, we assembled these fragments by TAR in a stepwise process until the entire genome was reconstituted in yeast. Since next-generation sequence analysis revealed that the low-passage-number isolate represented a mixture of parental and fibroblast-adapted genomes, we selectively modified individual DNA fragments of fibroblast-adapted Toledo (Toledo-F) and again used TAR assembly to recreate parental Toledo (Toledo-P). Linear, full-length HCMV genomes were transfected into human fibroblasts to recover virus. Unlike Toledo-F, Toledo-P displayed characteristics of primary isolates, including broad cellular tropism in vitro and the ability to establish latency and reactivation in humanized mice. Our novel strategy thus enables de novo cloning of CMV genomes, more-efficient genome-wide engineering, and the generation of viral genomes that are partially or completely derived from synthetic DNA. IMPORTANCE The genomes of large DNA viruses, such as human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), are difficult to manipulate using current genetic tools, and at this time, it is not possible to obtain, molecular clones of CMV without extensive tissue culture. To overcome these limitations, we used synthetic biology tools to capture genomic fragments from viral DNA and assemble full-length genomes in yeast. Using an early passage of the HCMV isolate Toledo containing a mixture of wild-type and tissue culture-adapted virus. we directly cloned the majority sequence and recreated the minority sequence by simultaneous modification of multiple genomic regions. Thus, our novel approach provides a paradigm to not only efficiently engineer HCMV and other large DNA viruses on a genome-wide scale but also facilitates the cloning and genetic manipulation of primary isolates and provides a pathway to generating entirely synthetic genomes.
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Genome-wide engineering of an infectious clone of herpes simplex virus type 1 using synthetic genomics assembly methods. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E8885-E8894. [PMID: 28928148 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1700534114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we present a transformational approach to genome engineering of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which has a large DNA genome, using synthetic genomics tools. We believe this method will enable more rapid and complex modifications of HSV-1 and other large DNA viruses than previous technologies, facilitating many useful applications. Yeast transformation-associated recombination was used to clone 11 fragments comprising the HSV-1 strain KOS 152 kb genome. Using overlapping sequences between the adjacent pieces, we assembled the fragments into a complete virus genome in yeast, transferred it into an Escherichia coli host, and reconstituted infectious virus following transfection into mammalian cells. The virus derived from this yeast-assembled genome, KOSYA, replicated with kinetics similar to wild-type virus. We demonstrated the utility of this modular assembly technology by making numerous modifications to a single gene, making changes to two genes at the same time and, finally, generating individual and combinatorial deletions to a set of five conserved genes that encode virion structural proteins. While the ability to perform genome-wide editing through assembly methods in large DNA virus genomes raises dual-use concerns, we believe the incremental risks are outweighed by potential benefits. These include enhanced functional studies, generation of oncolytic virus vectors, development of delivery platforms of genes for vaccines or therapy, as well as more rapid development of countermeasures against potential biothreats.
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Fliervoet LAL, Mastrobattista E. Drug delivery with living cells. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2016; 106:63-72. [PMID: 27129442 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2016.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2016] [Revised: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The field of drug delivery has grown tremendously in the past few decades by developing a wide range of advanced drug delivery systems. An interesting category is cell-based drug delivery, which includes encapsulation of drugs inside cells or attached to the surface and subsequent transportation through the body. Another approach involves genetic engineering of cells to secrete therapeutic molecules in a controlled way. The next-generation systems integrate expertise from synthetic biology to generate therapeutic gene networks for highly advanced sensory and output devices. These developments are very exciting for the drug delivery field and could radically change the way we administer biological medicines to chronically ill patients. This review is covering the use of living cells, either as transport system or production-unit, to deliver therapeutic molecules and bioactive proteins inside the body. It describes a wide range of approaches in cell-based drug delivery and highlights exceptional examples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lies A L Fliervoet
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80082, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Enrico Mastrobattista
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80082, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Hagen
- EA European Academy of Technology and Innovation Assessment GmbH, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany
| | - Margret Engelhard
- EA European Academy of Technology and Innovation Assessment GmbH, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany
| | - Georg Toepfer
- Center for Literary and Cultural Research Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Górski A, Dąbrowska K, Hodyra-Stefaniak K, Borysowski J, Międzybrodzki R, Weber-Dąbrowska B. Phages targeting infected tissues: novel approach to phage therapy. Future Microbiol 2015; 10:199-204. [PMID: 25689532 DOI: 10.2217/fmb.14.126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
While the true efficacy of phage therapy still requires formal confirmation in clinical trials, it continues to offer realistic potential treatment in patients in whom antibiotics have failed. Novel developments and approaches are therefore needed to ascertain that future clinical trials would evaluate the therapy in its optimal form thus allowing for reliable conclusions regarding the true value of phage therapy. In this article, we present our vision to develop and establish a bank of phages specific to most threatening pathogens and armed with homing peptides enabling their localization in infected tissues in densities assuring efficient and stable eradication of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Górski
- L Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology & Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Science, Wroclaw, Poland
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Bayer T, Milker S, Wiesinger T, Rudroff F, Mihovilovic MD. Designer Microorganisms for Optimized Redox Cascade Reactions - Challenges and Future Perspectives. Adv Synth Catal 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/adsc.201500202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Gardner AF, Kelman Z. DNA polymerases in biotechnology. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:659. [PMID: 25520711 PMCID: PMC4249456 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Zvi Kelman
- National Institute of Standards and Technology Gaithersburg, MD, USA ; Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research Rockville, MD, USA
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Lartigue C, Lebaudy A, Blanchard A, El Yacoubi B, Rose S, Grosjean H, Douthwaite S. The flavoprotein Mcap0476 (RlmFO) catalyzes m5U1939 modification in Mycoplasma capricolum 23S rRNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:8073-82. [PMID: 24939895 PMCID: PMC4081110 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Revised: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Efficient protein synthesis in all organisms requires the post-transcriptional methylation of specific ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA) nucleotides. The methylation reactions are almost invariably catalyzed by enzymes that use S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) as the methyl group donor. One noteworthy exception is seen in some bacteria, where the conserved tRNA methylation at m5U54 is added by the enzyme TrmFO using flavin adenine dinucleotide together with N5,N10-methylenetetrahydrofolate as the one-carbon donor. The minimalist bacterium Mycoplasma capricolum possesses two homologs of trmFO, but surprisingly lacks the m5U54 tRNA modification. We created single and dual deletions of the trmFO homologs using a novel synthetic biology approach. Subsequent analysis of the M. capricolum RNAs by mass spectrometry shows that the TrmFO homolog encoded by Mcap0476 specifically modifies m5U1939 in 23S rRNA, a conserved methylation catalyzed by AdoMet-dependent enzymes in all other characterized bacteria. The Mcap0476 methyltransferase (renamed RlmFO) represents the first folate-dependent flavoprotein seen to modify ribosomal RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Lartigue
- INRA, UMR 1332 de Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, F-33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France Université de Bordeaux, UMR 1332 de Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, F-33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Anne Lebaudy
- INRA, UMR 1332 de Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, F-33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France Université de Bordeaux, UMR 1332 de Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, F-33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Alain Blanchard
- INRA, UMR 1332 de Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, F-33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France Université de Bordeaux, UMR 1332 de Biologie du Fruit et Pathologie, F-33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Basma El Yacoubi
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, FL 32611, USA
| | - Simon Rose
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Henri Grosjean
- Centre de Génétique Moléculaire, UPR3404, CNRS, Associée à l'Université Paris Sud 11, FRC 3115, F-91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Stephen Douthwaite
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
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Elena C, Ravasi P, Castelli ME, Peirú S, Menzella HG. Expression of codon optimized genes in microbial systems: current industrial applications and perspectives. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:21. [PMID: 24550894 PMCID: PMC3912506 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2013] [Accepted: 01/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The efficient production of functional proteins in heterologous hosts is one of the major bases of modern biotechnology. Unfortunately, many genes are difficult to express outside their original context. Due to their apparent “silent” nature, synonymous codon substitutions have long been thought to be trivial. In recent years, this dogma has been refuted by evidence that codon replacement can have a significant impact on gene expression levels and protein folding. In the past decade, considerable advances in the speed and cost of gene synthesis have facilitated the complete redesign of entire gene sequences, dramatically improving the likelihood of high protein expression. This technology significantly impacts the economic feasibility of microbial-based biotechnological processes by, for example, increasing the volumetric productivities of recombinant proteins or facilitating the redesign of novel biosynthetic routes for the production of metabolites. This review discusses the current applications of this technology, particularly those regarding the production of small molecules and industrially relevant recombinant enzymes. Suggestions for future research and potential uses are provided as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Elena
- Genetic Engineering and Fermentation Technology, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario-Conicet Rosario, Argentina
| | - Pablo Ravasi
- Genetic Engineering and Fermentation Technology, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario-Conicet Rosario, Argentina
| | - María E Castelli
- Genetic Engineering and Fermentation Technology, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario-Conicet Rosario, Argentina
| | - Salvador Peirú
- Genetic Engineering and Fermentation Technology, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario-Conicet Rosario, Argentina
| | - Hugo G Menzella
- Genetic Engineering and Fermentation Technology, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario-Conicet Rosario, Argentina
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