1
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Yunus IS, Hudson GA, Chen Y, Gin JW, Kim J, Baidoo EEK, Petzold CJ, Adams PD, Simmons BA, Mukhopadhyay A, Keasling JD, Lee TS. Systematic engineering for production of anti-aging sunscreen compound in Pseudomonas putida. Metab Eng 2024; 84:69-82. [PMID: 38839037 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2024.06.001] [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: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Sunscreen has been used for thousands of years to protect skin from ultraviolet radiation. However, the use of modern commercial sunscreen containing oxybenzone, ZnO, and TiO2 has raised concerns due to their negative effects on human health and the environment. In this study, we aim to establish an efficient microbial platform for production of shinorine, a UV light absorbing compound with anti-aging properties. First, we methodically selected an appropriate host for shinorine production by analyzing central carbon flux distribution data from prior studies alongside predictions from genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs). We enhanced shinorine productivity through CRISPRi-mediated downregulation and utilized shotgun proteomics to pinpoint potential competing pathways. Simultaneously, we improved the shinorine biosynthetic pathway by refining its design, optimizing promoter usage, and altering the strength of ribosome binding sites. Finally, we conducted amino acid feeding experiments under various conditions to identify the key limiting factors in shinorine production. The study combines meta-analysis of 13C-metabolic flux analysis, GEMs, synthetic biology, CRISPRi-mediated gene downregulation, and omics analysis to improve shinorine production, demonstrating the potential of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 as platform for shinorine production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian S Yunus
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA, USA; Biological Systems & Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Graham A Hudson
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA, USA; Biological Systems & Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA; California Institute of Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Yan Chen
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA, USA; Biological Systems & Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer W Gin
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA, USA; Biological Systems & Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Joonhoon Kim
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA, USA; Energy Processes & Materials Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, USA
| | - Edward E K Baidoo
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA, USA; Biological Systems & Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Christopher J Petzold
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA, USA; Biological Systems & Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Paul D Adams
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA, USA; Molecular Biophysics & Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Blake A Simmons
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA, USA; Biological Systems & Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Aindrila Mukhopadhyay
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA, USA; Biological Systems & Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jay D Keasling
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA, USA; Biological Systems & Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA; California Institute of Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA; Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA; Center for Biosustainability, Danish Technical University, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Taek Soon Lee
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, 5885 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA, USA; Biological Systems & Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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2
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Leblanc J, Boulle O, Roux E, Nicolas J, Lavenier D, Audic Y. Fully in vitro iterative construction of a 24 kb-long artificial DNA sequence to store digital information. Biotechniques 2024; 76:203-215. [PMID: 38573592 DOI: 10.2144/btn-2023-0109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
In the absence of a DNA template, the ab initio production of long double-stranded DNA molecules of predefined sequences is particularly challenging. The DNA synthesis step remains a bottleneck for many applications such as functional assessment of ancestral genes, analysis of alternative splicing or DNA-based data storage. In this report we propose a fully in vitro protocol to generate very long double-stranded DNA molecules starting from commercially available short DNA blocks in less than 3 days using Golden Gate assembly. This innovative application allowed us to streamline the process to produce a 24 kb-long DNA molecule storing part of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1789 . The DNA molecule produced can be readily cloned into a suitable host/vector system for amplification and selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Leblanc
- University Rennes, Inria, CNRS, IRISA, Campus de Beaulieu, Rennes, France
| | - Olivier Boulle
- University Rennes, Inria, CNRS, IRISA, Campus de Beaulieu, Rennes, France
| | - Emeline Roux
- Institut NuMeCan, INRAE, INSERM, University Rennes, France
| | - Jacques Nicolas
- University Rennes, Inria, CNRS, IRISA, Campus de Beaulieu, Rennes, France
| | | | - Yann Audic
- CNRS, University Rennes, Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes (IGDR) UMR 6290, Rennes, France
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3
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Guo L, Yang G. Pioneering DNA assembling techniques and their applications in eukaryotic microalgae. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 70:108301. [PMID: 38101551 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108301] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Assembling DNA fragments is a fundamental manipulation of cloning microalgal genes and carrying out microalgal synthetic biological studies. From the earliest DNA recombination to current trait and metabolic pathway engineering, we are always accompanied by homology-based DNA assembling. The improvement and modification of pioneering DNA assembling techniques and the combinational applications of the available assembling techniques have diversified and complicated the literature environment and aggravated our identification of the core and pioneering methodologies. Identifying the core assembling methodologies and using them appropriately and flourishing them even are important for researchers. A group of microalgae have been evolving as the models for both industrial applications and biological studies. DNA assembling requires researchers to know the methods available and their improvements and evolvements. In this review, we summarized the pioneering (core; leading) DNA assembling techniques developed previously, extended these techniques to their modifications, improvements and their combinations, and highlighted their applications in eukaryotic microalgae. We predicted that the gene(s) will be assembled into a functional cluster (e.g., those involving in a metabolic pathway, and stacked on normal microalgal chromosomes, their artificial episomes and looming artificial chromosomes. It should be particularly pointed out that the techniques mentioned in this review are classified according to the strategy used to assemble the final construct.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Guo
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China
| | - Guanpin Yang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China; Institutes of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China; MoE Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding of Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China.
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4
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Chan DTC, Baldwin GS, Bernstein HC. Revealing the Host-Dependent Nature of an Engineered Genetic Inverter in Concordance with Physiology. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2023; 5:0016. [PMID: 37849456 PMCID: PMC10432152 DOI: 10.34133/bdr.0016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Broad-host-range synthetic biology is an emerging frontier that aims to expand our current engineerable domain of microbial hosts for biodesign applications. As more novel species are brought to "model status," synthetic biologists are discovering that identically engineered genetic circuits can exhibit different performances depending on the organism it operates within, an observation referred to as the "chassis effect." It remains a major challenge to uncover which genome-encoded and biological determinants will underpin chassis effects that govern the performance of engineered genetic devices. In this study, we compared model and novel bacterial hosts to ask whether phylogenomic relatedness or similarity in host physiology is a better predictor of genetic circuit performance. This was accomplished using a comparative framework based on multivariate statistical approaches to systematically demonstrate the chassis effect and characterize the performance dynamics of a genetic inverter circuit operating within 6 Gammaproteobacteria. Our results solidify the notion that genetic devices are strongly impacted by the host context. Furthermore, we formally determined that hosts exhibiting more similar metrics of growth and molecular physiology also exhibit more similar performance of the genetic inverter, indicating that specific bacterial physiology underpins measurable chassis effects. The result of this study contributes to the field of broad-host-range synthetic biology by lending increased predictive power to the implementation of genetic devices in less-established microbial hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Tin Chat Chan
- Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Geoff S. Baldwin
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Hans C. Bernstein
- Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway
- The Arctic Centre for Sustainable Energy, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway
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5
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del Olmo Lianes I, Yubero P, Gómez-Luengo Á, Nogales J, Espeso DR. Technical upgrade of an open-source liquid handler to support bacterial colony screening. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1202836. [PMID: 37404684 PMCID: PMC10315574 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1202836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The optimization of genetically engineered biological constructs is a key step to deliver high-impact biotechnological applications. The use of high-throughput DNA assembly methods allows the construction of enough genotypic variants to successfully cover the target design space. This, however, entails extra workload for researchers during the screening stage of candidate variants. Despite the existence of commercial colony pickers, their high price excludes small research laboratories and budget-adjusted institutions from accessing such extensive screening capability. In this work we present COPICK, a technical solution to automatize colony picking in an open-source liquid handler Opentrons OT-2. COPICK relies on a mounted camera to capture images of regular Petri dishes and detect microbial colonies for automated screening. COPICK's software can then automatically select the best colonies according to different criteria (size, color and fluorescence) and execute a protocol to pick them for further analysis. Benchmark tests performed for E. coli and P. putida colonies delivers a raw picking performance over pickable colonies of 82% with an accuracy of 73.4% at an estimated rate of 240 colonies/h. These results validate the utility of COPICK, and highlight the importance of ongoing technical improvements in open-source laboratory equipment to support smaller research teams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene del Olmo Lianes
- Department of Systems Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Yubero
- Department of Systems Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Álvaro Gómez-Luengo
- Department of Systems Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics Towards a Circular Economy—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, SusPlast-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Nogales
- Department of Systems Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics Towards a Circular Economy—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, SusPlast-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - David R. Espeso
- Department of Systems Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología—Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
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6
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Semkum P, Thangthamniyom N, Chankeeree P, Keawborisuth C, Theerawatanasirikul S, Lekcharoensuk P. The Application of the Gibson Assembly Method in the Production of Two pKLS3 Vector-Derived Infectious Clones of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1111. [PMID: 37376500 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11061111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The construction of a full-length infectious clone, essential for molecular virological study and vaccine development, is quite a challenge for viruses with long genomes or possessing complex nucleotide sequence structures. Herein, we have constructed infectious clones of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) types O and A by joining each viral coding region with our pKLS3 vector in a single isothermal reaction using Gibson Assembly (GA). pKLS3 is a 4.3-kb FMDV minigenome. To achieve optimal conditions for the DNA joining, each FMDV coding sequence was divided into two overlapping fragments of approximately 3.8 and 3.2 kb, respectively. Both DNA fragments contain the introduced linker sequences for assembly with the linearized pKLS3 vector. FMDV infectious clones were produced upon directly transfecting the GA reaction into baby hamster kidney-21 (BHK-21) cells. After passing in BHK-21 cells, both rescued FMDVs (rO189 and rNP05) demonstrated growth kinetics and antigenicity similar to their parental viruses. Thus far, this is the first report on GA-derived, full-length infectious FMDV cDNA clones. This simple DNA assembly method and the FMDV minigenome would facilitate the construction of FMDV infectious clones and enable genetic manipulation for FMDV research and custom-made FMDV vaccine production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ploypailin Semkum
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food, KU Institute for Advanced Studies, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Nattarat Thangthamniyom
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Penpitcha Chankeeree
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Challika Keawborisuth
- Virology and Cell Technology Research Team, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
| | - Sirin Theerawatanasirikul
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
| | - Porntippa Lekcharoensuk
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food, KU Institute for Advanced Studies, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
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7
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Bryant JA, Kellinger M, Longmire C, Miller R, Wright RC. AssemblyTron: flexible automation of DNA assembly with Opentrons OT-2 lab robots. SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY (OXFORD, ENGLAND) 2022; 8:ysac032. [PMID: 36644757 PMCID: PMC9832943 DOI: 10.1093/synbio/ysac032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
As one of the newest fields of engineering, synthetic biology relies upon a trial-and-error Design-Build-Test-Learn (DBTL) approach to simultaneously learn how a function is encoded in biology and attempt to engineer it. Many software and hardware platforms have been developed to automate, optimize and algorithmically perform each step of the DBTL cycle. However, there are many fewer options for automating the build step. Build typically involves deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) assembly, which remains manual, low throughput and unreliable in most cases and limits our ability to advance the science and engineering of biology. Here, we present AssemblyTron, an open-source Python package to integrate j5 DNA assembly design software outputs with build implementation in Opentrons liquid handling robotics with minimal human intervention. We demonstrate the versatility of AssemblyTron through several scarless, multipart DNA assemblies, beginning from fragment amplification. We show that AssemblyTron can perform polymerase chain reactions across a range of fragment lengths and annealing temperatures by using an optimal annealing temperature gradient calculation algorithm. We then demonstrate that AssemblyTron can perform Golden Gate and homology-dependent in vivo assemblies (IVAs) with comparable fidelity to manual assemblies by simultaneously building four four-fragment assemblies of chromoprotein reporter expression plasmids. Finally, we used AssemblyTron to perform site-directed mutagenesis reactions via homology-dependent IVA also achieving comparable fidelity to manual assemblies as assessed by sequencing. AssemblyTron can reduce the time, training, costs and wastes associated with synthetic biology, which, along with open-source and affordable automation, will further foster the accessibility of synthetic biology and accelerate biological research and engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Bryant
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Mason Kellinger
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Cameron Longmire
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Ryan Miller
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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8
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Benns HJ, Storch M, Falco JA, Fisher FR, Tamaki F, Alves E, Wincott CJ, Milne R, Wiedemar N, Craven G, Baragaña B, Wyllie S, Baum J, Baldwin GS, Weerapana E, Tate EW, Child MA. CRISPR-based oligo recombineering prioritizes apicomplexan cysteines for drug discovery. Nat Microbiol 2022; 7:1891-1905. [PMID: 36266336 PMCID: PMC9613468 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01249-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Nucleophilic amino acids are important in covalent drug development yet underutilized as anti-microbial targets. Chemoproteomic technologies have been developed to mine chemically accessible residues via their intrinsic reactivity towards electrophilic probes but cannot discern which chemically reactive sites contribute to protein function and should therefore be prioritized for drug discovery. To address this, we have developed a CRISPR-based oligo recombineering (CORe) platform to support the rapid identification, functional prioritization and rational targeting of chemically reactive sites in haploid systems. Our approach couples protein sequence and function with biological fitness of live cells. Here we profile the electrophile sensitivity of proteinogenic cysteines in the eukaryotic pathogen Toxoplasma gondii and prioritize functional sites using CORe. Electrophile-sensitive cysteines decorating the ribosome were found to be critical for parasite growth, with target-based screening identifying a parasite-selective anti-malarial lead molecule and validating the apicomplexan translation machinery as a target for ongoing covalent ligand development.
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Affiliation(s)
- H J Benns
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - M Storch
- London Biofoundry, Imperial College Translation & Innovation Hub, London, UK
| | - J A Falco
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Boston, MA, USA
| | - F R Fisher
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - F Tamaki
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - E Alves
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - C J Wincott
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - R Milne
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - N Wiedemar
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - G Craven
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - B Baragaña
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - S Wyllie
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - J Baum
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
- School of Biomedical Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - G S Baldwin
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - E Weerapana
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Boston, MA, USA
| | - E W Tate
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | - M A Child
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
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9
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Vidal G, Vitalis C, Muñoz Silva M, Castillo-Passi C, Yáñez Feliú G, Federici F, Rudge TJ. Accurate characterization of dynamic microbial gene expression and growth rate profiles. Synth Biol (Oxf) 2022; 7:ysac020. [PMID: 36267953 PMCID: PMC9569155 DOI: 10.1093/synbio/ysac020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic circuits are subject to variability due to cellular and compositional contexts. Cells face changing internal states and environments, the cellular context, to which they sense and respond by changing their gene expression and growth rates. Furthermore, each gene in a genetic circuit operates in a compositional context of genes which may interact with each other and the host cell in complex ways. The context of genetic circuits can, therefore, change gene expression and growth rates, and measuring their dynamics is essential to understanding natural and synthetic regulatory networks that give rise to functional phenotypes. However, reconstruction of microbial gene expression and growth rate profiles from typical noisy measurements of cell populations is difficult due to the effects of noise at low cell densities among other factors. We present here a method for the estimation of dynamic microbial gene expression rates and growth rates from noisy measurement data. Compared to the current state-of-the-art, our method significantly reduced the mean squared error of reconstructions from simulated data of growth and gene expression rates, improving the estimation of timing and magnitude of relevant shapes of profiles. We applied our method to characterize a triple-reporter plasmid library combining multiple transcription units in different compositional and cellular contexts in Escherichia coli. Our analysis reveals cellular and compositional context effects on microbial growth and gene expression rate dynamics and suggests a method for the dynamic ratiometric characterization of constitutive promoters relative to an in vivo reference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Vidal
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex BioSystems (ICOS) Research Group, School of Computing, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Carolus Vitalis
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Macarena Muñoz Silva
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Castillo-Passi
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering (iHEALTH), Santiago, Chile
| | - Guillermo Yáñez Feliú
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex BioSystems (ICOS) Research Group, School of Computing, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernán Federici
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- ANID – Millennium Science Initiative Program, Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio) & FONDAP Center for Genome Regulation, Santiago, Chile
| | - Timothy J Rudge
- Interdisciplinary Computing and Complex BioSystems (ICOS) Research Group, School of Computing, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
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10
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Haines MC, Carling B, Marshall J, Shenshin VA, Baldwin GS, Freemont P, Storch M. basicsynbio and the BASIC SEVA collection: software and vectors for an established DNA assembly method. Synth Biol (Oxf) 2022; 7:ysac023. [PMID: 36381610 PMCID: PMC9664905 DOI: 10.1093/synbio/ysac023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Standardized deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) assembly methods utilizing modular components provide a powerful framework to explore designs and iterate through Design-Build-Test-Learn cycles. Biopart Assembly Standard for Idempotent Cloning (BASIC) DNA assembly uses modular parts and linkers, is highly accurate, easy to automate, free for academic and commercial use and enables hierarchical assemblies through an idempotent format. These features enable applications including pathway engineering, ribosome binding site (RBS) tuning, fusion protein engineering and multiplexed guide ribonucleic acid (RNA) expression. In this work, we present basicsynbio, open-source software encompassing a Web App (https://basicsynbio.web.app/) and Python Package (https://github.com/LondonBiofoundry/basicsynbio), enabling BASIC construct design via simple drag-and-drop operations or programmatically. With basicsynbio, users can access commonly used BASIC parts and linkers while designing new parts and assemblies with exception handling for common errors. Users can export sequence data and create instructions for manual or acoustic liquid-handling platforms. Instruction generation relies on the BasicBuild Open Standard, which is parsed for bespoke workflows and is serializable in JavaScript Object Notation for transfer and storage. We demonstrate basicsynbio, assembling 30 vectors using sequences including modules from the Standard European Vector Architecture (SEVA). The BASIC SEVA vector collection is compatible with BASIC and Golden Gate using BsaI. Vectors contain one of six antibiotic resistance markers and five origins of replication from different compatibility groups. The collection is available via Addgene under an OpenMTA agreement. Furthermore, vector sequences are available from within the basicsynbio application programming interface with other collections of parts and linkers, providing a powerful environment for designing assemblies for bioengineering applications. Graphical Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Haines
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- London Biofoundry, Imperial College Translation and Innovation Hub, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Benedict Carling
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, Westminster SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - James Marshall
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, Westminster SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Vasily A Shenshin
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, Westminster SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Geoff S Baldwin
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, Westminster SW7 2AZ, UK
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Paul Freemont
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- London Biofoundry, Imperial College Translation and Innovation Hub, London W12 0BZ, UK
- UK DRI Care Research and Technology Centre, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Marko Storch
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- London Biofoundry, Imperial College Translation and Innovation Hub, London W12 0BZ, UK
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11
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The automated Galaxy-SynBioCAD pipeline for synthetic biology design and engineering. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5082. [PMID: 36038542 PMCID: PMC9424320 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32661-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we introduce the Galaxy-SynBioCAD portal, a toolshed for synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and industrial biotechnology. The tools and workflows currently shared on the portal enables one to build libraries of strains producing desired chemical targets covering an end-to-end metabolic pathway design and engineering process from the selection of strains and targets, the design of DNA parts to be assembled, to the generation of scripts driving liquid handlers for plasmid assembly and strain transformations. Standard formats like SBML and SBOL are used throughout to enforce the compatibility of the tools. In a study carried out at four different sites, we illustrate the link between pathway design and engineering with the building of a library of E. coli lycopene-producing strains. We also benchmark our workflows on literature and expert validated pathways. Overall, we find an 83% success rate in retrieving the validated pathways among the top 10 pathways generated by the workflows.
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12
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A framework to efficiently describe and share reproducible DNA materials and construction protocols. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2894. [PMID: 35610233 PMCID: PMC9130275 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30588-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA constructs and their annotated sequence maps have been rapidly accumulating with the advancement of DNA cloning, synthesis, and assembly methods. Such resources have also been utilized in designing and building new DNA materials. However, as commonly seen in the life sciences, no framework exists to describe reproducible DNA construction processes. Furthermore, the use of previously developed DNA materials and building protocols is usually not appropriately credited. Here, we report a framework QUEEN (framework to generate quinable and efficiently editable nucleotide sequence resources) to resolve these issues and accelerate the building of DNA. QUEEN enables the flexible design of new DNA by using existing DNA material resource files and recording its construction process in an output file (GenBank file format). A GenBank file generated by QUEEN can regenerate the process code such that it perfectly clones itself and bequeaths the same process code to its successive GenBank files, recycling its partial DNA resources. QUEEN-generated GenBank files are compatible with existing DNA repository services and software. We propose QUEEN as a solution to start significantly advancing the material and protocol sharing of DNA resources. DNA constructs and their annotated sequence maps have been rapidly accumulating with the advancement of DNA cloning, synthesis, and assembly methods. Here the authors introduce QUEEN, a framework to describe and share DNA materials and construction protocols.
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13
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PlasmidMaker is a versatile, automated, and high throughput end-to-end platform for plasmid construction. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2697. [PMID: 35577775 PMCID: PMC9110713 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30355-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmids are used extensively in basic and applied biology. However, design and construction of plasmids, specifically the ones carrying complex genetic information, remains one of the most time-consuming, labor-intensive, and rate-limiting steps in performing sophisticated biological experiments. Here, we report the development of a versatile, robust, automated end-to-end platform named PlasmidMaker that allows error-free construction of plasmids with virtually any sequences in a high throughput manner. This platform consists of a most versatile DNA assembly method using Pyrococcus furiosus Argonaute (PfAgo)-based artificial restriction enzymes, a user-friendly frontend for plasmid design, and a backend that streamlines the workflow and integration with a robotic system. As a proof of concept, we used this platform to generate 101 plasmids from six different species ranging from 5 to 18 kb in size from up to 11 DNA fragments. PlasmidMaker should greatly expand the potential of synthetic biology. Despite their broad utility, design and construction of plasmids remains laborious and time-consuming. Here the authors report a robust, versatile, and automated end-to-end platform that enables scarless construction of virtually any plasmid.
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14
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Lawrence JM, Yin Y, Bombelli P, Scarampi A, Storch M, Wey LT, Climent-Catala A, Baldwin GS, O’Hare D, Howe CJ, Zhang JZ, Ouldridge TE, Ledesma-Amaro R. Synthetic biology and bioelectrochemical tools for electrogenetic system engineering. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm5091. [PMID: 35507663 PMCID: PMC9067924 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm5091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic biology research and its industrial applications rely on deterministic spatiotemporal control of gene expression. Recently, electrochemical control of gene expression has been demonstrated in electrogenetic systems (redox-responsive promoters used alongside redox inducers and electrodes), allowing for the direct integration of electronics with biological processes. However, the use of electrogenetic systems is limited by poor activity, tunability, and standardization. In this work, we developed a strong, unidirectional, redox-responsive promoter before deriving a mutant promoter library with a spectrum of strengths. We constructed genetic circuits with these parts and demonstrated their activation by multiple classes of redox molecules. Last, we demonstrated electrochemical activation of gene expression under aerobic conditions using a novel, modular bioelectrochemical device. These genetic and electrochemical tools facilitate the design and improve the performance of electrogenetic systems. Furthermore, the genetic design strategies used can be applied to other redox-responsive promoters to further expand the available tools for electrogenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M. Lawrence
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Yutong Yin
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Paolo Bombelli
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Alberto Scarampi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marko Storch
- London DNA Foundry, Imperial College Translation and Innovation Hub, London, UK
| | - Laura T. Wey
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | - Geoff S. Baldwin
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Danny O’Hare
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Jenny Z. Zhang
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Corresponding author.
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15
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Casas A, Bultelle M, Motraghi C, Kitney R. PASIV: A Pooled Approach-Based Workflow to Overcome Toxicity-Induced Design of Experiments Failures and Inefficiencies. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:1272-1291. [PMID: 35261238 PMCID: PMC8938949 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
We present here a
newly developed workflow—which we have
called PASIV—designed to provide a solution to a practical
problem with design of experiments (DoE) methodology: i.e., what can
be done if the scoping phase of the DoE cycle is severely hampered
by burden and toxicity issues (caused by either the metabolite or
an intermediary), making it unreliable or impossible to proceed to
the screening phase? PASIV—standing for pooled approach, screening,
identification, and visualization—was designed so the (viable)
region of interest can be made to appear through an interplay between
biology and software. This was achieved by combining multiplex construction
in a pooled approach (one-pot reaction) with a viability assay and
with a range of bioinformatics tools (including a novel construct
matching tool). PASIV was tested on the exemplar of the lycopene pathway—under
stressful constitutive expression—yielding a region of interest
with comparatively stronger producers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Casas
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2BX, United Kingdom
| | - Matthieu Bultelle
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2BX, United Kingdom
| | - Charles Motraghi
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2BX, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Kitney
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2BX, United Kingdom
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16
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Single 3′-exonuclease-based multifragment DNA assembly method (SENAX). Sci Rep 2022; 12:4004. [PMID: 35256704 PMCID: PMC8901738 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07878-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractDNA assembly is a vital process in biotechnology and synthetic biology research, during which DNA plasmids are designed and constructed using bioparts to engineer microorganisms for a wide range of applications. Here, we present an enzymatic homology-based DNA assembly method, SENAX (Stellar ExoNuclease Assembly miX), that can efficiently assemble multiple DNA fragments at ambient temperature from 30 to 37 °C and requires homology overlap as short as 12–18 base pairs. SENAX relies only on a 3′–5′ exonuclease, XthA (ExoIII), followed by Escherichia coli transformation, enabling easy scaling up and optimization. Importantly, SENAX can efficiently assemble short fragments down to 70 bp into a vector, overcoming a key shortcoming of existing commonly used homology-based technologies. To the best of our knowledge, this has not been reported elsewhere using homology-based methods. This advantage leads us to develop a framework to perform DNA assembly in a more modular manner using reusable promoter-RBS short fragments, simplifying the construction process and reducing the cost of DNA synthesis. This approach enables commonly used short bioparts (e.g., promoter, RBS, insulator, terminator) to be reused by the direct assembly of these parts into intermediate constructs. SENAX represents a novel accurate, highly efficient, and automation-friendly DNA assembly method.
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17
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Yunus IS, Anfelt J, Sporre E, Miao R, Hudson EP, Jones PR. Synthetic metabolic pathways for conversion of CO2 into secreted short-to medium-chain hydrocarbons using cyanobacteria. Metab Eng 2022; 72:14-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2022.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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18
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Casas A, Bultelle M, Motraghi C, Kitney R. Removing the Bottleneck: Introducing cMatch - A Lightweight Tool for Construct-Matching in Synthetic Biology. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 9:785131. [PMID: 35083201 PMCID: PMC8784771 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.785131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a software tool, called cMatch, to reconstruct and identify synthetic genetic constructs from their sequences, or a set of sub-sequences—based on two practical pieces of information: their modular structure, and libraries of components. Although developed for combinatorial pathway engineering problems and addressing their quality control (QC) bottleneck, cMatch is not restricted to these applications. QC takes place post assembly, transformation and growth. It has a simple goal, to verify that the genetic material contained in a cell matches what was intended to be built - and when it is not the case, to locate the discrepancies and estimate their severity. In terms of reproducibility/reliability, the QC step is crucial. Failure at this step requires repetition of the construction and/or sequencing steps. When performed manually or semi-manually QC is an extremely time-consuming, error prone process, which scales very poorly with the number of constructs and their complexity. To make QC frictionless and more reliable, cMatch performs an operation we have called “construct-matching” and automates it. Construct-matching is more thorough than simple sequence-matching, as it matches at the functional level-and quantifies the matching at the individual component level and across the whole construct. Two algorithms (called CM_1 and CM_2) are presented. They differ according to the nature of their inputs. CM_1 is the core algorithm for construct-matching and is to be used when input sequences are long enough to cover constructs in their entirety (e.g., obtained with methods such as next generation sequencing). CM_2 is an extension designed to deal with shorter data (e.g., obtained with Sanger sequencing), and that need recombining. Both algorithms are shown to yield accurate construct-matching in a few minutes (even on hardware with limited processing power), together with a set of metrics that can be used to improve the robustness of the decision-making process. To ensure reliability and reproducibility, cMatch builds on the highly validated pairwise-matching Smith-Waterman algorithm. All the tests presented have been conducted on synthetic data for challenging, yet realistic constructs - and on real data gathered during studies on a metabolic engineering example (lycopene production).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Casas
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthieu Bultelle
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Charles Motraghi
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Kitney
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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19
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Dwijayanti A, Storch M, Stan GB, Baldwin GS. A modular RNA interference system for multiplexed gene regulation. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:1783-1793. [PMID: 35061908 PMCID: PMC8860615 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The rational design and realisation of simple-to-use genetic control elements that are modular, orthogonal and robust is essential to the construction of predictable and reliable biological systems of increasing complexity. To this effect, we introduce modular Artificial RNA interference (mARi), a rational, modular and extensible design framework that enables robust, portable and multiplexed post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in Escherichia coli. The regulatory function of mARi was characterised in a range of relevant genetic contexts, demonstrating its independence from other genetic control elements and the gene of interest, and providing new insight into the design rules of RNA based regulation in E. coli, while a range of cellular contexts also demonstrated it to be independent of growth-phase and strain type. Importantly, the extensibility and orthogonality of mARi enables the simultaneous post-transcriptional regulation of multi-gene systems as both single-gene cassettes and poly-cistronic operons. To facilitate adoption, mARi was designed to be directly integrated into the modular BASIC DNA assembly framework. We anticipate that mARi-based genetic control within an extensible DNA assembly framework will facilitate metabolic engineering, layered genetic control, and advanced genetic circuit applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marko Storch
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Guy-Bart Stan
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.,Department of Bioengineering, Bessemer Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Geoff S Baldwin
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.,Department of Life Sciences, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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20
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Currin A, Parker S, Robinson CJ, Takano E, Scrutton NS, Breitling R. The evolving art of creating genetic diversity: From directed evolution to synthetic biology. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 50:107762. [PMID: 34000294 PMCID: PMC8299547 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The ability to engineer biological systems, whether to introduce novel functionality or improved performance, is a cornerstone of biotechnology and synthetic biology. Typically, this requires the generation of genetic diversity to explore variations in phenotype, a process that can be performed at many levels, from single molecule targets (i.e., in directed evolution of enzymes) to whole organisms (e.g., in chassis engineering). Recent advances in DNA synthesis technology and automation have enhanced our ability to create variant libraries with greater control and throughput. This review highlights the latest developments in approaches to create such a hierarchy of diversity from the enzyme level to entire pathways in vitro, with a focus on the creation of combinatorial libraries that are required to navigate a target's vast design space successfully to uncover significant improvements in function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Currin
- Manchester Centre for Synthetic Biology of Fine and Speciality Chemicals (SYNBIOCHEM), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom.
| | - Steven Parker
- Manchester Centre for Synthetic Biology of Fine and Speciality Chemicals (SYNBIOCHEM), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J Robinson
- Manchester Centre for Synthetic Biology of Fine and Speciality Chemicals (SYNBIOCHEM), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Eriko Takano
- Manchester Centre for Synthetic Biology of Fine and Speciality Chemicals (SYNBIOCHEM), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Nigel S Scrutton
- Manchester Centre for Synthetic Biology of Fine and Speciality Chemicals (SYNBIOCHEM), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Rainer Breitling
- Manchester Centre for Synthetic Biology of Fine and Speciality Chemicals (SYNBIOCHEM), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom.
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21
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Evolution-aided engineering of plant specialized metabolism. ABIOTECH 2021; 2:240-263. [PMID: 36303885 PMCID: PMC9590541 DOI: 10.1007/s42994-021-00052-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of new traits in living organisms occurs via the processes of mutation, recombination, genetic drift, and selection. These processes that have resulted in the immense biological diversity on our planet are also being employed in metabolic engineering to optimize enzymes and pathways, create new-to-nature reactions, and synthesize complex natural products in heterologous systems. In this review, we discuss two evolution-aided strategies for metabolic engineering-directed evolution, which improves upon existing genetic templates using the evolutionary process, and combinatorial pathway reconstruction, which brings together genes evolved in different organisms into a single heterologous host. We discuss the general principles of these strategies, describe the technologies involved and the molecular traits they influence, provide examples of their use, and discuss the roadblocks that need to be addressed for their wider adoption. A better understanding of these strategies can provide an impetus to research on gene function discovery and biochemical evolution, which is foundational for improved metabolic engineering. These evolution-aided approaches thus have a substantial potential for improving our understanding of plant metabolism in general, for enhancing the production of plant metabolites, and in sustainable agriculture.
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22
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Luo ZW, Ahn JH, Chae TU, Choi SY, Park SY, Choi Y, Kim J, Prabowo CPS, Lee JA, Yang D, Han T, Xu H, Lee SY. Metabolic Engineering of
Escherichia
coli. Metab Eng 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/9783527823468.ch11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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23
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Ren CY, Liu Y, Wei WP, Dai J, Ye BC. Reconstruction of Secondary Metabolic Pathway to Synthesize Novel Metabolite in Saccharopolyspora erythraea. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:628569. [PMID: 34277577 PMCID: PMC8283810 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.628569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural polyketides play important roles in clinical treatment, agriculture, and animal husbandry. Compared to natural hosts, heterologous chassis (especially Actinomycetes) have many advantages in production of polyketide compounds. As a widely studied model Actinomycete, Saccharopolyspora erythraea is an excellent host to produce valuable heterologous polyketide compounds. However, many host factors affect the expression efficiency of heterologous genes, and it is necessary to modify the host to adapt heterologous production. In this study, the CRISPR-Cas9 system was used to knock out the erythromycin biosynthesis gene cluster of Ab (erythromycin high producing stain). A fragment of 49491 bp in genome (from SACE_0715 to SACE_0733) was deleted, generating the recombinant strain AbΔery in which erythromycin synthesis was blocked and synthetic substrates methylmalonyl-CoA and propionyl-CoA accumulated enormously. Based on AbΔery as heterologous host, three genes, AsCHS, RgTAL, and Sc4CL, driven by strong promoters Pj23119, PermE, and PkasO, respectively, were introduced to produce novel polyketide by L-tyrosine and methylmalonyl-CoA. The product (E)-4-hydroxy-6-(4-hydroxystyryl)-3,5-dimethyl-2H-pyrone was identified in fermentation by LC-MS. High performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that knocking out ery BGC resulted in an increase of methylmalonyl-CoA by 142% and propionyl-CoA by 57.9% in AbΔery compared to WT, and the yield of heterologous product in AbΔery:AsCHS-RgTAL-Sc4CL was higher than WT:AsCHS-RgTAL-Sc4CL. In summary, this study showed that AbΔery could potentially serve as a precious heterologous host to boost the synthesis of other valuable polyketone compounds using methylmalonyl-CoA and propionyl-CoA in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong-Yang Ren
- Institute of Engineering Biology and Health, Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Laboratory of Biosystems and Microanalysis, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics and Center for Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wen-Ping Wei
- Laboratory of Biosystems and Microanalysis, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Junbiao Dai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics and Center for Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bang-Ce Ye
- Institute of Engineering Biology and Health, Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.,Laboratory of Biosystems and Microanalysis, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
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24
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Yunus IS, Wang Z, Sattayawat P, Muller J, Zemichael FW, Hellgardt K, Jones PR. Improved Bioproduction of 1-Octanol Using Engineered Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:1417-1428. [PMID: 34003632 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
1-Octanol has gained interest as a chemical precursor for both high and low value commodities including fuel, solvents, surfactants, and fragrances. By harnessing the power from sunlight and CO2 as carbon source, cyanobacteria has recently been engineered for renewable production of 1-octanol. The productivity, however, remained low. In the present work, we report efforts to further improve the 1-octanol productivity. Different N-terminal truncations were evaluated on three thioesterases from different plant species, resulting in several candidate thioesterases with improved activity and selectivity toward octanoyl-ACP. The structure/function trials suggest that current knowledge and/or state-of-the art computational tools are insufficient to determine the most appropriate cleavage site for thioesterases in Synechocystis. Additionally, by tuning the inducer concentration and light intensity, we further improved the 1-octanol productivity, reaching up to 35% (w/w) carbon partitioning and a titer of 526 ± 5 mg/L 1-octanol in 12 days. Long-term cultivation experiments demonstrated that the improved strain can be stably maintained for at least 30 days and/or over ten times serial dilution. Surprisingly, the improved strain was genetically stable in contrast to earlier strains having lower productivity (and hence a reduced chance of reaching toxic product concentrations). Altogether, improved enzymes and environmental conditions (e.g., inducer concentration and light intensity) substantially increased the 1-octanol productivity. When cultured under continuous conditions, the bioproduction system reached an accumulative titer of >3.5 g/L 1-octanol over close to 180 days.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Sofian Yunus
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom
| | - Zhixuan Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom
| | - Pachara Sattayawat
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
| | - Jonathan Muller
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom
| | - Fessehaye W. Zemichael
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom
| | - Klaus Hellgardt
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom
| | - Patrik R. Jones
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom
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25
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Chattopadhyay A, Maiti MK. Lipid production by oleaginous yeasts. ADVANCES IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 2021; 116:1-98. [PMID: 34353502 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aambs.2021.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Microbial lipid production has been studied extensively for years; however, lipid metabolic engineering in many of the extraordinarily high lipid-accumulating yeasts was impeded by inadequate understanding of the metabolic pathways including regulatory mechanisms defining their oleaginicity and the limited genetic tools available. The aim of this review is to highlight the prominent oleaginous yeast genera, emphasizing their oleaginous characteristics, in conjunction with diverse other features such as cheap carbon source utilization, withstanding the effect of inhibitory compounds, commercially favorable fatty acid composition-all supporting their future development as economically viable lipid feedstock. The unique aspects of metabolism attributing to their oleaginicity are accentuated in the pretext of outlining the various strategies successfully implemented to improve the production of lipid and lipid-derived metabolites. A large number of in silico data generated on the lipid accumulation in certain oleaginous yeasts have been carefully curated, as suggestive evidences in line with the exceptional oleaginicity of these organisms. The different genetic elements developed in these yeasts to execute such strategies have been scrupulously inspected, underlining the major types of newly-found and synthetically constructed promoters, transcription terminators, and selection markers. Additionally, there is a plethora of advanced genetic toolboxes and techniques described, which have been successfully used in oleaginous yeasts in the recent years, promoting homologous recombination, genome editing, DNA assembly, and transformation at remarkable efficiencies. They can accelerate and effectively guide the rational designing of system-wide metabolic engineering approaches pinpointing the key targets for developing industrially suitable yeast strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atrayee Chattopadhyay
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
| | - Mrinal K Maiti
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India.
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26
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David F, Davis AM, Gossing M, Hayes MA, Romero E, Scott LH, Wigglesworth MJ. A Perspective on Synthetic Biology in Drug Discovery and Development-Current Impact and Future Opportunities. SLAS DISCOVERY 2021; 26:581-603. [PMID: 33834873 DOI: 10.1177/24725552211000669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The global impact of synthetic biology has been accelerating, because of the plummeting cost of DNA synthesis, advances in genetic engineering, growing understanding of genome organization, and explosion in data science. However, much of the discipline's application in the pharmaceutical industry remains enigmatic. In this review, we highlight recent examples of the impact of synthetic biology on target validation, assay development, hit finding, lead optimization, and chemical synthesis, through to the development of cellular therapeutics. We also highlight the availability of tools and technologies driving the discipline. Synthetic biology is certainly impacting all stages of drug discovery and development, and the recognition of the discipline's contribution can further enhance the opportunities for the drug discovery and development value chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian David
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Andrew M Davis
- Discovery Sciences, Biopharmaceutical R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Michael Gossing
- Discovery Sciences, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Martin A Hayes
- Discovery Sciences, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Elvira Romero
- Discovery Sciences, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Louis H Scott
- Discovery Sciences, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Chattopadhyay A, Mitra M, Maiti MK. Recent advances in lipid metabolic engineering of oleaginous yeasts. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 53:107722. [PMID: 33631187 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
With the increasing demand to develop a renewable and sustainable biolipid feedstock, several species of non-conventional oleaginous yeasts are being explored. Apart from the platform oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, the understanding of metabolic pathway and, therefore, exploiting the engineering prospects of most of the oleaginous species are still in infancy. However, in the past few years, enormous efforts have been invested in Rhodotorula, Rhodosporidium, Lipomyces, Trichosporon, and Candida genera of yeasts among others, with the rapid advancement of engineering strategies, significant improvement in genetic tools and techniques, generation of extensive bioinformatics and omics data. In this review, we have collated these recent progresses to make a detailed and insightful summary of the major developments in metabolic engineering of the prominent oleaginous yeast species. Such a comprehensive overview would be a useful resource for future strain improvement and metabolic engineering studies for enhanced production of lipid and lipid-derived chemicals in oleaginous yeasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atrayee Chattopadhyay
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Mohor Mitra
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Mrinal K Maiti
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India.
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28
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Yáñez Feliú G, Earle Gómez B, Codoceo Berrocal V, Muñoz Silva M, Nuñez IN, Matute TF, Arce Medina A, Vidal G, Vitalis C, Dahlin J, Federici F, Rudge TJ. Flapjack: Data Management and Analysis for Genetic Circuit Characterization. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:183-191. [PMID: 33382586 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Characterization is fundamental to the design, build, test, learn (DBTL) cycle for engineering synthetic genetic circuits. Components must be described in such a way as to account for their behavior in a range of contexts. Measurements and associated metadata, including part composition, constitute the test phase of the DBTL cycle. These data may consist of measurements of thousands of circuits, measured in hundreds of conditions, in multiple assays potentially performed in different laboratories and using different techniques. In order to inform the learn phase this large volume of data must be filtered, collated, and analyzed. Characterization consists of using this data to parametrize models of component function in different contexts, and combining them to predict behaviors of novel circuits. Tools to store, organize, share, and analyze large volumes of measurement and metadata are therefore essential to linking the test phase to the build and learn phases, closing the loop of the DBTL cycle. Here we present such a system, implemented as a web app with a backend data registry and analysis engine. An interactive frontend provides powerful querying, plotting, and analysis tools, and we provide a REST API and Python package for full integration with external build and learn software. All measurements are associated with circuit part composition via SBOL (Synthetic Biology Open Language). We demonstrate our tool by characterizing a range of genetic components and circuits according to composition and context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Yáñez Feliú
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820244, Chile
| | - Benjamín Earle Gómez
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820244, Chile
| | - Verner Codoceo Berrocal
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820244, Chile
| | - Macarena Muñoz Silva
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820244, Chile
| | - Isaac N Nuñez
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820244, Chile
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820244, Chile
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330005, Chile
| | - Tamara F Matute
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820244, Chile
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820244, Chile
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330005, Chile
| | - Anibal Arce Medina
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330005, Chile
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330005, Chile
| | - Gonzalo Vidal
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820244, Chile
| | - Carlos Vitalis
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820244, Chile
| | - Jonathan Dahlin
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Fernán Federici
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820244, Chile
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330005, Chile
- FONDAP, Center for Genome Regulation, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330005, Chile
| | - Timothy J Rudge
- Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820244, Chile
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820244, Chile
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29
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Setting Up an Automated Biomanufacturing Laboratory. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2229:137-155. [PMID: 33405219 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1032-9_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Laboratory automation is a key enabling technology for genetic engineering that can lead to higher throughput, more efficient and accurate experiments, better data management and analysis, decrease in the DBT (Design, Build, and Test) cycle turnaround, increase of reproducibility, and savings in lab resources. Choosing the correct framework among so many options available in terms of software, hardware, and skills needed to operate them is crucial for the success of any automation project. This chapter explores the multiple aspects to be considered for the solid development of a biofoundry project including available software and hardware tools, resources, strategies, partnerships, and collaborations in the field needed to speed up the translation of research results to solve important society problems.
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Otero-Muras I, Carbonell P. Automated engineering of synthetic metabolic pathways for efficient biomanufacturing. Metab Eng 2020; 63:61-80. [PMID: 33316374 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2020.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Metabolic engineering involves the engineering and optimization of processes from single-cell to fermentation in order to increase production of valuable chemicals for health, food, energy, materials and others. A systems approach to metabolic engineering has gained traction in recent years thanks to advances in strain engineering, leading to an accelerated scaling from rapid prototyping to industrial production. Metabolic engineering is nowadays on track towards a truly manufacturing technology, with reduced times from conception to production enabled by automated protocols for DNA assembly of metabolic pathways in engineered producer strains. In this review, we discuss how the success of the metabolic engineering pipeline often relies on retrobiosynthetic protocols able to identify promising production routes and dynamic regulation strategies through automated biodesign algorithms, which are subsequently assembled as embedded integrated genetic circuits in the host strain. Those approaches are orchestrated by an experimental design strategy that provides optimal scheduling planning of the DNA assembly, rapid prototyping and, ultimately, brings forward an accelerated Design-Build-Test-Learn cycle and the overall optimization of the biomanufacturing process. Achieving such a vision will address the increasingly compelling demand in our society for delivering valuable biomolecules in an affordable, inclusive and sustainable bioeconomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Otero-Muras
- BioProcess Engineering Group, IIM-CSIC, Spanish National Research Council, Vigo, 36208, Spain.
| | - Pablo Carbonell
- Institute of Industrial Control Systems and Computing (ai2), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022, Spain.
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31
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Young R, Haines M, Storch M, Freemont PS. Combinatorial metabolic pathway assembly approaches and toolkits for modular assembly. Metab Eng 2020; 63:81-101. [PMID: 33301873 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2020.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic Biology is a rapidly growing interdisciplinary field that is primarily built upon foundational advances in molecular biology combined with engineering design principles such as modularity and interoperability. The field considers living systems as programmable at the genetic level and has been defined by the development of new platform technologies and methodological advances. A key concept driving the field is the Design-Build-Test-Learn cycle which provides a systematic framework for building new biological systems. One major application area for synthetic biology is biosynthetic pathway engineering that requires the modular assembly of different genetic regulatory elements and biosynthetic enzymes. In this review we provide an overview of modular DNA assembly and describe and compare the plethora of in vitro and in vivo assembly methods for combinatorial pathway engineering. Considerations for part design and methods for enzyme balancing are also presented, and we briefly discuss alternatives to intracellular pathway assembly including microbial consortia and cell-free systems for biosynthesis. Finally, we describe computational tools and automation for pathway design and assembly and argue that a deeper understanding of the many different variables of genetic design, pathway regulation and cellular metabolism will allow more predictive pathway design and engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna Young
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Matthew Haines
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Marko Storch
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK; London Biofoundry, Imperial College Translation & Innovation Hub, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Paul S Freemont
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK; London Biofoundry, Imperial College Translation & Innovation Hub, London, W12 0BZ, UK; UK DRI Care Research and Technology Centre, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
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32
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Storch M, Haines MC, Baldwin GS. DNA-BOT: a low-cost, automated DNA assembly platform for synthetic biology. Synth Biol (Oxf) 2020; 5:ysaa010. [PMID: 32995552 PMCID: PMC7476404 DOI: 10.1093/synbio/ysaa010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Multi-part DNA assembly is the physical starting point for many projects in Synthetic and Molecular Biology. The ability to explore a genetic design space by building extensive libraries of DNA constructs is essential for creating programmed biological systems. With multiple DNA assembly methods and standards adopted in the Synthetic Biology community, automation of the DNA assembly process is now receiving serious attention. Automation will enable larger builds using less researcher time, while increasing the accessible design space. However, these benefits currently incur high costs for both equipment and consumables. Here, we address this limitation by introducing low-cost DNA assembly with BASIC on OpenTrons (DNA-BOT). For this purpose, we developed an open-source software package and demonstrated the performance of DNA-BOT by simultaneously assembling 88 constructs composed of 10 genetic parts, evaluating the promoter, ribosome binding site and gene order design space for a three-gene operon. All 88 constructs were assembled with high accuracy, at a consumables cost of $1.50–$5.50 per construct. This illustrates the efficiency, accuracy and affordability of DNA-BOT, making it accessible for most labs and democratizing automated DNA assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Storch
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.,Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.,London Biofoundry, Imperial College Translation & Innovation Hub, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Matthew C Haines
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.,Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Geoff S Baldwin
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.,Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
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33
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Chen YJ, Cheng YY, Wang W, Tian XJ, Lefever DE, Taft DA, Zhang J, Xing J. Rapid, modular, and cost-effective generation of donor DNA constructs for CRISPR-based gene knock-in. Biol Methods Protoc 2020; 5:bpaa006. [PMID: 32411820 PMCID: PMC7211398 DOI: 10.1093/biomethods/bpaa006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based gene editing techniques find applications in many fields, such as molecular biology, cancer biology, and disease modeling. In contrast to the knock-out procedure, a key step of CRISPR knock-in experiments is the homology-directed repair process that requires donor constructs as repair templates. Therefore, it is desirable to generate a series of donor templates efficiently and cost-effectively. In this study, we developed a new strategy that combines (i) Gibson assembly reaction, (ii) a linker pair composed of eight in silico screened restriction enzyme sites, and (iii) a hierarchical framework, to remarkably improve the efficiency of producing donor constructs for common genes as well as for the genes containing unbalanced guanine-cytosine content and requiring a selectable marker. Furthermore, the approach provides the ability of inserting additional elements into the donor templates, such as single guide RNA recognition sites that have been reported to enhance the efficiency of homology-directed repair. Conclusively, our modularized process is simple, fast, and cost-effective for making donor constructs and benefits the application of CRISPR knock-in methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Jiun Chen
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Ya-Yun Cheng
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Weikang Wang
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Xiao-Jun Tian
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Daniel E Lefever
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
- Drug Discovery Institute, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - David A Taft
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Jingyu Zhang
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Jianhua Xing
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
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Gowers GOF, Chee SM, Bell D, Suckling L, Kern M, Tew D, McClymont DW, Ellis T. Improved betulinic acid biosynthesis using synthetic yeast chromosome recombination and semi-automated rapid LC-MS screening. Nat Commun 2020; 11:868. [PMID: 32054834 PMCID: PMC7018806 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14708-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology, genome engineering and directed evolution offer innumerable tools to expedite engineering of strains for optimising biosynthetic pathways. One of the most radical is SCRaMbLE, a system of inducible in vivo deletion and rearrangement of synthetic yeast chromosomes, diversifying the genotype of millions of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells in hours. SCRaMbLE can yield strains with improved biosynthetic phenotypes but is limited by screening capabilities. To address this bottleneck, we combine automated sample preparation, an ultra-fast 84-second LC-MS method, and barcoded nanopore sequencing to rapidly isolate and characterise the best performing strains. Here, we use SCRaMbLE to optimise yeast strains engineered to produce the triterpenoid betulinic acid. Our semi-automated workflow screens 1,000 colonies, identifying and sequencing 12 strains with between 2- to 7-fold improvement in betulinic acid titre. The broad applicability of this workflow to rapidly isolate improved strains from a variant library makes this a valuable tool for biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- G-O F Gowers
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - S M Chee
- London Biofoundry, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- SynbiCITE, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - D Bell
- London Biofoundry, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- SynbiCITE, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- Structural and Synthetic Biology, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - L Suckling
- London Biofoundry, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- SynbiCITE, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- Structural and Synthetic Biology, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - M Kern
- GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, SG1 2NY, UK
| | - D Tew
- GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, SG1 2NY, UK
| | - D W McClymont
- London Biofoundry, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- SynbiCITE, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - T Ellis
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
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35
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Bioderivatization as a concept for renewable production of chemicals that are toxic or poorly soluble in the liquid phase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:1404-1413. [PMID: 31915296 PMCID: PMC6983404 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1914069117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms can be rationally engineered to convert CO2 and H2O into chemicals, replacing those made from fossil fuels today. Sometimes such chemicals are poorly soluble in water or negatively affect the growth of the microorganism, resulting in cost-inefficient manufacturing. In nature, this problem is often solved by converting incompatible chemicals into those more compatible with the host and/or environment. Inspired by this, we propose a similar strategy for engineered biotechnology, whereby biochemical conversion inside the microorganism is followed by chemical reversal once outside. The principle was demonstrated with 1-octanol by implementing two different conversion methods in two different species, showing enhanced bioproduction in most cases. The approach may stimulate commercialization of sustainable and renewable production of chemicals. Bio-based production technologies may complement or replace petroleum-based production of chemicals, but they face a number of technical challenges, including product toxicity and/or water insolubility. Plants and microorganisms naturally biosynthesize chemicals that often are converted into derivatives with reduced toxicity or enhanced solubility. Inspired by this principle, we propose a bioderivatization strategy for biotechnological chemicals production, defined as purposeful biochemical derivatization of intended target molecules. As proof of principle, the effects of hydrophobic (e.g., esterification) and hydrophilic (e.g., glycosylation) bioderivatization strategies on the biosynthesis of a relatively toxic and poorly soluble chemical, 1-octanol, were evaluated in Escherichia coli and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The 1-octanol pathway was first optimized to reach product titers at which the host displayed symptoms of toxicity. Solvent overlay used to capture volatile products partially masked product toxicity. Regardless of whether solvent overlay was used, most strains with bioderivatization had a higher molar product titer and product yield, as well as improved cellular growth and glucose consumption, compared with strains without bioderivatization. The positive effect on bioproduction was observed with both the hydrophobic and hydrophilic strategies. Interestingly, in several combinations of genotype/induction strength, bioderivatization had a positive effect on productivity without any apparent effect on growth. We attribute this to enhanced product solubility in the aqueous or solvent fraction of the bioreactor liquid phase (depending on the derivative and medium used), with consequent enhanced product removal. Overall, under most conditions, a benefit of bioproduction was observed, and the bioderivatization strategy could be considered for other similar chemicals as well.
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36
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Yunus IS, Palma A, Trudeau DL, Tawfik DS, Jones PR. Methanol-free biosynthesis of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Metab Eng 2020; 57:217-227. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2019.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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37
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Klein CA, Emde L, Kuijpers A, Sobetzko P. MoCloFlex: A Modular Yet Flexible Cloning System. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:271. [PMID: 31750294 PMCID: PMC6843054 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Modern cloning solutions are gradually replacing classical cloning methods. Current systems make use of libraries with predefined DNA parts that are joined by Golden-Gate reactions. However, these systems still suffer from specific inflexibilities and the lack of inter-compatibility. Here, we present Flexible Modular Cloning (MoCloFlex) which overcomes this inflexibility by introducing a set of linker- and position-vectors allowing free unit arrangement. Our system, therefore, provides a convenient way to design and build custom plasmids, and iterative assembly of large constructs. To support standardization in synthetic biology, MoCloFlex is compatible with the well-established Modular Cloning standard. Here, we present and characterize MoCloFlex for various applications with up to 12 fragments in a single restriction-ligation reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo A. Klein
- SYNMIKRO, LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Leonie Emde
- SYNMIKRO, LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Aaron Kuijpers
- Department of Biology, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany
| | - Patrick Sobetzko
- SYNMIKRO, LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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38
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Bartasun P, Prandi N, Storch M, Aknin Y, Bennett M, Palma A, Baldwin G, Sakuragi Y, Jones PR, Rowland J. The effect of modulating the quantity of enzymes in a model ethanol pathway on metabolic flux in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7529. [PMID: 31523505 PMCID: PMC6717505 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthetic metabolism allows new metabolic capabilities to be introduced into strains for biotechnology applications. Such engineered metabolic pathways are unlikely to function optimally as initially designed and native metabolism may not efficiently support the introduced pathway without further intervention. To develop our understanding of optimal metabolic engineering strategies, a two-enzyme ethanol pathway consisting of pyruvate decarboxylase and acetaldehyde reductase was introduced into Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. We characteriseda new set of ribosome binding site sequences in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 providing a range of translation strengths for different genes under test. The effect of ribosome-bindingsite sequence, operon design and modifications to native metabolism on pathway flux was analysed by HPLC. The accumulation of all introduced proteins was also quantified using selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry. Pathway productivity was more strongly dependent on the accumulation of pyruvate decarboxylase than acetaldehyde reductase. In fact, abolishment of reductase over-expression resulted in the greatest ethanol productivity, most likely because strains harbouringsingle-gene constructs accumulated more pyruvate decarboxylase than strains carrying any of the multi-gene constructs. Overall, several lessons were learned. Firstly, the expression level of the first gene in anyoperon influenced the expression level of subsequent genes, demonstrating that translational coupling can also occur in cyanobacteria. Longer operons resulted in lower protein abundance for proximally-encoded cistrons. And, implementation of metabolic engineering strategies that have previously been shown to enhance the growth or yield of pyruvate dependent products, through co-expression with pyruvate kinase and/or fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase/sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase, indicated that other factors had greater control over growth and metabolic flux under the tested conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Bartasun
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicole Prandi
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marko Storch
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yarin Aknin
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Mark Bennett
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Arianna Palma
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Geoff Baldwin
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yumiko Sakuragi
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Patrik R Jones
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - John Rowland
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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39
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Taylor GM, Mordaka PM, Heap JT. Start-Stop Assembly: a functionally scarless DNA assembly system optimized for metabolic engineering. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:e17. [PMID: 30462270 PMCID: PMC6379671 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky1182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA assembly allows individual DNA constructs or libraries to be assembled quickly and reliably. Most methods are either: (i) Modular, easily scalable and suitable for combinatorial assembly, but leave undesirable 'scar' sequences; or (ii) bespoke (non-modular), scarless but less suitable for construction of combinatorial libraries. Both have limitations for metabolic engineering. To overcome this trade-off we devised Start-Stop Assembly, a multi-part, modular DNA assembly method which is both functionally scarless and suitable for combinatorial assembly. Crucially, 3 bp overhangs corresponding to start and stop codons are used to assemble coding sequences into expression units, avoiding scars at sensitive coding sequence boundaries. Building on this concept, a complete DNA assembly framework was designed and implemented, allowing assembly of up to 15 genes from up to 60 parts (or mixtures); monocistronic, operon-based or hybrid configurations; and a new streamlined assembly hierarchy minimizing the number of vectors. Only one destination vector is required per organism, reflecting our optimization of the system for metabolic engineering in diverse organisms. Metabolic engineering using Start-Stop Assembly was demonstrated by combinatorial assembly of carotenoid pathways in Escherichia coli resulting in a wide range of carotenoid production and colony size phenotypes indicating the intended exploration of design space.
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Affiliation(s)
- George M Taylor
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Paweł M Mordaka
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - John T Heap
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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40
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Schlichting N, Reinhardt F, Jager S, Schmidt M, Kabisch J. Optimization of the experimental parameters of the ligase cycling reaction. Synth Biol (Oxf) 2019; 4:ysz020. [PMID: 32995543 PMCID: PMC7445781 DOI: 10.1093/synbio/ysz020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The ligase cycling reaction (LCR) is a scarless and efficient method to assemble plasmids from fragments of DNA. This assembly method is based on the hybridization of DNA fragments with complementary oligonucleotides, so-called bridging oligos (BOs), and an experimental procedure of thermal denaturation, annealing and ligation. In this study, we explore the effect of molecular crosstalk of BOs and various experimental parameters on the LCR by utilizing a fluorescence-based screening system. The results indicate an impact of the melting temperatures of BOs on the overall success of the LCR assembly. Secondary structure inhibitors, such as dimethyl sulfoxide and betaine, are shown to negatively impact the number of correctly assembled plasmids. Adjustments of the annealing, ligation and BO-melting temperature further improved the LCR. The optimized LCR was confirmed by validation experiments. Based on these findings, a step-by-step protocol is offered within this study to ensure a routine for high efficient LCR assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Schlichting
- Department of Biology, Computer-Aided Synthetic Biology, TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Felix Reinhardt
- Department of Physics, Computational Biology and Simulation, TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Sven Jager
- Department of Physics, Computational Biology and Simulation, TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Michael Schmidt
- Department of Physics, Computational Biology and Simulation, TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Johannes Kabisch
- Department of Biology, Computer-Aided Synthetic Biology, TU Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
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41
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Systems Metabolic Engineering Strategies: Integrating Systems and Synthetic Biology with Metabolic Engineering. Trends Biotechnol 2019; 37:817-837. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 226] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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42
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Ma X, Liang H, Cui X, Liu Y, Lu H, Ning W, Poon NY, Ho B, Zhou K. A standard for near-scarless plasmid construction using reusable DNA parts. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3294. [PMID: 31337759 PMCID: PMC6650416 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11263-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we report GT (Guanin/Thymine) standard (GTS) for plasmid construction under which DNA sequences are defined as two types of standard, reusable parts (fragment and barcode). We develop a technology that can efficiently add any two barcodes to two ends of any fragment without leaving scars in most cases. We can assemble up to seven such barcoded fragments into one plasmid by using one of the existing DNA assembly methods, including CLIVA, Gibson assembly, In-fusion cloning, and restriction enzyme-based methods. Plasmids constructed under GTS can be easily edited, and/or be further assembled into more complex plasmids by using standard DNA oligonucleotides (oligos). Based on 436 plasmids we constructed under GTS, the averaged accuracy of the workflow was 85.9%. GTS can also construct a library of plasmids from a set of fragments and barcodes combinatorically, which has been demonstrated to be useful for optimizing metabolic pathways. Construction of plasmids from multiple fragments often uses customised parts and leaves scars where fragments are joined. Here the authors develop a method for barcoding fragments and constructing plasmids in a scarless manner from a collection of standard parts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqiang Ma
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119077, Singapore.,Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Hong Liang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119077, Singapore.,Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Xiaoyi Cui
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119077, Singapore.,Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Yurou Liu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119077, Singapore.,Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Hongyuan Lu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119077, Singapore
| | - Wenbo Ning
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119077, Singapore
| | - Nga Yu Poon
- Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Benjamin Ho
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119077, Singapore
| | - Kang Zhou
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119077, Singapore. .,Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision, Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Singapore, 138602, Singapore.
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43
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Haines MC, Storch M, Oyarzún DA, Stan GB, Baldwin GS. Riboswitch identification using Ligase-Assisted Selection for the Enrichment of Responsive Ribozymes (LigASERR). Synth Biol (Oxf) 2019; 4:ysz019. [PMID: 32995542 PMCID: PMC7445825 DOI: 10.1093/synbio/ysz019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro selection of ligand-responsive ribozymes can identify rare, functional sequences from large libraries. While powerful, key caveats of this approach include lengthy and demanding experimental workflows; unpredictable experimental outcomes and unknown functionality of enriched sequences in vivo. To address the first of these limitations, we developed Ligase-Assisted Selection for the Enrichment of Responsive Ribozymes (LigASERR). LigASERR is scalable, amenable to automation and requires less time to implement compared to alternative methods. To improve the predictability of experiments, we modeled the underlying selection process, predicting experimental outcomes based on sequence and population parameters. We applied this new methodology and model to the enrichment of a known, in vitro-selected sequence from a bespoke library. Prior to implementing selection, conditions were optimized and target sequence dynamics accurately predicted for the majority of the experiment. In addition to enriching the target sequence, we identified two new, theophylline-activated ribozymes. Notably, all three sequences yielded riboswitches functional in Escherichia coli, suggesting LigASERR and similar in vitro selection methods can be utilized for generating functional riboswitches in this organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Haines
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Marko Storch
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK.,London BioFoundry, Imperial College Translation & Innovation Hub, London, UK
| | - Diego A Oyarzún
- School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Guy-Bart Stan
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Geoff S Baldwin
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK
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44
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Walsh DI, Pavan M, Ortiz L, Wick S, Bobrow J, Guido NJ, Leinicke S, Fu D, Pandit S, Qin L, Carr PA, Densmore D. Standardizing Automated DNA Assembly: Best Practices, Metrics, and Protocols Using Robots. SLAS Technol 2019; 24:282-290. [PMID: 30768372 PMCID: PMC6819997 DOI: 10.1177/2472630318825335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The advancement of synthetic biology requires the ability to create new DNA sequences to produce unique behaviors in biological systems. Automation is increasingly employed to carry out well-established assembly methods of DNA fragments in a multiplexed, high-throughput fashion, allowing many different configurations to be tested simultaneously. However, metrics are required to determine when automation is warranted based on factors such as assembly methodology, protocol details, and number of samples. The goal of our synthetic biology automation work is to develop and test protocols, hardware, and software to investigate and optimize DNA assembly through quantifiable metrics. We performed a parameter analysis of DNA assembly to develop a standardized, highly efficient, and reproducible MoClo protocol, suitable to be used both manually and with liquid-handling robots. We created a key DNA assembly metric (Q-metric) to characterize a given automation method's advantages over conventional manual manipulations with regard to researchers' highest-priority parameters: output, cost, and time. A software tool called Puppeteer was developed to formally capture these metrics, help define the assembly design, and provide human and robotic liquid-handling instructions. Altogether, we contribute to a growing foundation of standardizing practices, metrics, and protocols for automating DNA assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- David I. Walsh
- Bioengineering Systems and Technologies, MIT-Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA, USA
- Synthetic Biology Center at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Marilene Pavan
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Luis Ortiz
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Scott Wick
- Bioengineering Systems and Technologies, MIT-Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA, USA
- Synthetic Biology Center at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Johanna Bobrow
- Bioengineering Systems and Technologies, MIT-Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA, USA
- Synthetic Biology Center at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas J. Guido
- Bioengineering Systems and Technologies, MIT-Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA, USA
- Synthetic Biology Center at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sarah Leinicke
- Hariri Institute for Computing, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dany Fu
- Hariri Institute for Computing, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shreya Pandit
- Hariri Institute for Computing, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lucy Qin
- Hariri Institute for Computing, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Peter A. Carr
- Bioengineering Systems and Technologies, MIT-Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA, USA
- Synthetic Biology Center at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Douglas Densmore
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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45
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Pollak B, Cerda A, Delmans M, Álamos S, Moyano T, West A, Gutiérrez RA, Patron NJ, Federici F, Haseloff J. Loop assembly: a simple and open system for recursive fabrication of DNA circuits. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 222:628-640. [PMID: 30521109 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
High-efficiency methods for DNA assembly have enabled the routine assembly of synthetic DNAs of increased size and complexity. However, these techniques require customization, elaborate vector sets or serial manipulations for the different stages of assembly. We have developed Loop assembly based on a recursive approach to DNA fabrication. The system makes use of two Type IIS restriction endonucleases and corresponding vector sets for efficient and parallel assembly of large DNA circuits. Standardized level 0 parts can be assembled into circuits containing 1, 4, 16 or more genes by looping between the two vector sets. The vectors also contain modular sites for hybrid assembly using sequence overlap methods. Loop assembly enables efficient and versatile DNA fabrication for plant transformation. We show the construction of plasmids up to 16 genes and 38 kb with high efficiency (> 80%). We have characterized Loop assembly on over 200 different DNA constructs and validated the fidelity of the method by high-throughput Illumina plasmid sequencing. Our method provides a simple generalized solution for DNA construction with standardized parts. The cloning system is provided under an OpenMTA license for unrestricted sharing and open access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernardo Pollak
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Ariel Cerda
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 8331150, Santiago, Chile
- Fondo de Desarrollo de Áreas Prioritarias, Center for Genome Regulation, Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), 8331150, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mihails Delmans
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Simón Álamos
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Tomás Moyano
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 8331150, Santiago, Chile
- Fondo de Desarrollo de Áreas Prioritarias, Center for Genome Regulation, Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), 8331150, Santiago, Chile
| | - Anthony West
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UZ, UK
| | - Rodrigo A Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 8331150, Santiago, Chile
- Fondo de Desarrollo de Áreas Prioritarias, Center for Genome Regulation, Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), 8331150, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicola J Patron
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UZ, UK
| | - Fernán Federici
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 8331150, Santiago, Chile
- Fondo de Desarrollo de Áreas Prioritarias, Center for Genome Regulation, Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), 8331150, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jim Haseloff
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
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46
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Exley K, Reynolds CR, Suckling L, Chee SM, Tsipa A, Freemont PS, McClymont D, Kitney RI. Utilising datasheets for the informed automated design and build of a synthetic metabolic pathway. J Biol Eng 2019; 13:8. [PMID: 30675181 PMCID: PMC6339355 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-019-0141-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The automation of modular cloning methodologies permits the assembly of many genetic designs. Utilising characterised biological parts aids in the design and redesign of genetic pathways. The characterisation information held on datasheets can be used to determine whether a biological part meets the design requirements. To manage the design of genetic pathways, researchers have turned to modelling-based computer aided design software tools. RESULT An automated workflow has been developed for the design and build of heterologous metabolic pathways. In addition, to demonstrate the powers of electronic datasheets we have developed software which can transfer part information from a datasheet to the Design of Experiment software JMP. To this end we were able to use Design of Experiment software to rationally design and test randomised samples from the design space of a lycopene pathway in E. coli. This pathway was optimised by individually modulating the promoter strength, RBS strength, and gene order targets. CONCLUSION The use of standardised and characterised biological parts will empower a design-oriented synthetic biology for the forward engineering of heterologous expression systems. A Design of Experiment approach streamlines the design-build-test cycle to achieve optimised solutions in biodesign. Developed automated workflows provide effective transfer of information between characterised information (in the form of datasheets) and DoE software.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kealan Exley
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Christopher Robert Reynolds
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Lorna Suckling
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
- The London DNA Foundry, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Soo Mei Chee
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
- SynbiCITE, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Argyro Tsipa
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
- SynbiCITE, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Paul S. Freemont
- SynbiCITE, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Section of Structural Biology, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Richard Ian Kitney
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
- SynbiCITE, Imperial College London, London, UK
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47
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Synthetic metabolic pathways for photobiological conversion of CO2 into hydrocarbon fuel. Metab Eng 2018; 49:201-211. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2018.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Revised: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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48
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Yunus IS, Jones PR. Photosynthesis-dependent biosynthesis of medium chain-length fatty acids and alcohols. Metab Eng 2018; 49:59-68. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2018.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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49
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Rajakumar PD, Gowers GOF, Suckling L, Foster A, Ellis T, Kitney RI, McClymont DW, Freemont PS. Rapid Prototyping Platform for Saccharomyces cerevisiae Using Computer-Aided Genetic Design Enabled by Parallel Software and Workcell Platform Development. SLAS Technol 2018; 24:291-297. [DOI: 10.1177/2472630318798304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Biofoundries have enabled the ability to automate the construction of genetic constructs using computer-aided design. In this study, we have developed the methodology required to abstract and automate the construction of yeast-compatible designs. We demonstrate the use of our in-house software tool, AMOS, to coordinate with design software, JMP, and robotic liquid handling platforms to successfully manage the construction of a library of 88 yeast expression plasmids. In this proof-of-principle study, we used three fluorescent genes as proxy for three enzyme coding sequences. Our platform has been designed to quickly iterate around a design cycle of four protein coding sequences per plasmid, with larger numbers possible with multiplexed genome integrations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This work highlights how developing scalable new biotechnology applications requires a close integration between software development, liquid handling robotics, and protocol development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - G-O. F. Gowers
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - L. Suckling
- The London DNA Foundry, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - A. Foster
- The London DNA Foundry, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - T. Ellis
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - R. I. Kitney
- The London DNA Foundry, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - P. S. Freemont
- The London DNA Foundry, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Section of Structural Biology, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
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50
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Whitford CM, Dymek S, Kerkhoff D, März C, Schmidt O, Edich M, Droste J, Pucker B, Rückert C, Kalinowski J. Auxotrophy to Xeno-DNA: an exploration of combinatorial mechanisms for a high-fidelity biosafety system for synthetic biology applications. J Biol Eng 2018; 12:13. [PMID: 30123321 PMCID: PMC6090650 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-018-0105-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biosafety is a key aspect in the international Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition, which offers student teams an amazing opportunity to pursue their own research projects in the field of Synthetic Biology. iGEM projects often involve the creation of genetically engineered bacterial strains. To minimize the risks associated with bacterial release, a variety of biosafety systems were constructed, either to prevent survival of bacteria outside the lab or to hinder horizontal or vertical gene transfer. MAIN BODY Physical containment methods such as bioreactors or microencapsulation are considered the first safety level. Additionally, various systems involving auxotrophies for both natural and synthetic compounds have been utilized by iGEM teams in recent years. Combinatorial systems comprising multiple auxotrophies have been shown to reduced escape frequencies below the detection limit. Furthermore, a number of natural toxin-antitoxin systems can be deployed to kill cells under certain conditions. Additionally, parts of naturally occurring toxin-antitoxin systems can be used for the construction of 'kill switches' controlled by synthetic regulatory modules, allowing control of cell survival. Kill switches prevent cell survival but do not completely degrade nucleic acids. To avoid horizontal gene transfer, multiple mechanisms to cleave nucleic acids can be employed, resulting in 'self-destruction' of cells. Changes in light or temperature conditions are powerful regulators of gene expression and could serve as triggers for kill switches or self-destruction systems. Xenobiology-based containment uses applications of Xeno-DNA, recoded codons and non-canonical amino acids to nullify the genetic information of constructed cells for wild type organisms. A 'minimal genome' approach brings the opportunity to reduce the genome of a cell to only genes necessary for survival under lab conditions. Such cells are unlikely to survive in the natural environment and are thus considered safe hosts. If suitable for the desired application, a shift to cell-free systems based on Xeno-DNA may represent the ultimate biosafety system. CONCLUSION Here we describe different containment approaches in synthetic biology, ranging from auxotrophies to minimal genomes, which can be combined to significantly improve reliability. Since the iGEM competition greatly increases the number of people involved in synthetic biology, we will focus especially on biosafety systems developed and applied in the context of the iGEM competition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Saskia Dymek
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Denise Kerkhoff
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Camilla März
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Olga Schmidt
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Maximilian Edich
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Julian Droste
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Boas Pucker
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- Present address: Evolution and Diversity, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Christian Rückert
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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