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Robertson JM, Garza EA, Stubbusch AKM, Dupont CL, Hwa T, Held NA. Marine bacteria Alteromonas spp. require UDP-glucose-4-epimerase for aggregation and production of sticky exopolymer. mBio 2024:e0003824. [PMID: 38958440 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00038-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The physiology and ecology of particle-associated marine bacteria are of growing interest, but our knowledge of their aggregation behavior and mechanisms controlling their association with particles remains limited. We have found that a particle-associated isolate, Alteromonas sp. ALT199 strain 4B03, and the related type-strain A. macleodii 27126 both form large (>500 μm) aggregates while growing in rich medium. A non-clumping variant (NCV) of 4B03 spontaneously arose in the lab, and whole-genome sequencing revealed a partial deletion in the gene encoding UDP-glucose-4-epimerase (galEΔ308-324). In 27126, a knock-out of galE (ΔgalE::kmr) resulted in a loss of aggregation, mimicking the NCV. Microscopic analysis shows that both 4B03 and 27126 rapidly form large aggregates, whereas their respective galE mutants remain primarily as single planktonic cells or clusters of a few cells. Strains 4B03 and 27126 also form aggregates with chitin particles, but their galE mutants do not. Alcian Blue staining shows that 4B03 and 27126 produce large transparent exopolymer particles (TEP), but their galE mutants are deficient in this regard. This study demonstrates the capabilities of cell-cell aggregation, aggregation of chitin particles, and production of TEP in strains of Alteromonas, a widespread particle-associated genus of heterotrophic marine bacteria. A genetic requirement for galE is evident for each of the above capabilities, expanding the known breadth of requirement for this gene in biofilm-related processes. IMPORTANCE Heterotrophic marine bacteria have a central role in the global carbon cycle. Well-known for releasing CO2 by decomposition and respiration, they may also contribute to particulate organic matter (POM) aggregation, which can promote CO2 sequestration via the formation of marine snow. We find that two members of the prevalent particle-associated genus Alteromonas can form aggregates comprising cells alone or cells and chitin particles, indicating their ability to drive POM aggregation. In line with their multivalent aggregation capability, both strains produce TEP, an excreted polysaccharide central to POM aggregation in the ocean. We demonstrate a genetic requirement for galE in aggregation and large TEP formation, building our mechanistic understanding of these aggregative capabilities. These findings point toward a role for heterotrophic bacteria in POM aggregation in the ocean and support broader efforts to understand bacterial controls on the global carbon cycle based on microbial activities, community structure, and meta-omic profiling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob M Robertson
- Division of Biological Sciences, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Erin A Garza
- Microbial and Environmental Genomics, J Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Astrid K M Stubbusch
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Earth Sciences, Geological Institute, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christopher L Dupont
- Microbial and Environmental Genomics, J Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Terence Hwa
- Division of Biological Sciences, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Department of Physics, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Noelle A Held
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marine and Environmental Biology Section, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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2
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Kong F, Blot C, Liu K, Kim M, Li-Beisson Y. Advances in algal lipid metabolism and their use to improve oil content. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 87:103130. [PMID: 38579630 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Microalgae are eukaryotic photosynthetic micro-organisms that convert CO2 into carbohydrates, lipids, and other valuable metabolites. They are considered promising chassis for the production of various bioproducts, including fatty acid-derived biofuels. However, algae-based biofuels are not yet commercially available, mainly because of their low yields and high production cost. Optimizing strains to improve lipid productivity using the principles of synthetic biology should help move forward. This necessitates developments in the following areas: (1) identification of molecular bricks (enzymes, transcription factors, regulatory proteins etc.); (2) development of genetic tools; and (3) availability of high-throughput phenotyping methods. Here, we highlight the most recent developments in some of these areas and provide examples of the use of genome editing tools to improve oil content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fantao Kong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bio-Intelligent Manufacturing, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, Liaoning, China.
| | - Carla Blot
- Aix Marseille Univ, CEA, CNRS, BIAM, Institut de Biosciences et Biotechnologies Aix-Marseille, CEA Cadarache, Saint Paul-Lez-Durance 13108, France
| | - Keqing Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bio-Intelligent Manufacturing, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, Liaoning, China
| | - Minjae Kim
- Aix Marseille Univ, CEA, CNRS, BIAM, Institut de Biosciences et Biotechnologies Aix-Marseille, CEA Cadarache, Saint Paul-Lez-Durance 13108, France
| | - Yonghua Li-Beisson
- Aix Marseille Univ, CEA, CNRS, BIAM, Institut de Biosciences et Biotechnologies Aix-Marseille, CEA Cadarache, Saint Paul-Lez-Durance 13108, France
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3
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Khan MA, Herring G, Zhu JY, Oliva M, Fourie E, Johnston B, Zhang Z, Potter J, Pineda L, Pflueger J, Swain T, Pflueger C, Lloyd JPB, Secco D, Small I, Kidd BN, Lister R. CRISPRi-based circuits to control gene expression in plants. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02236-w. [PMID: 38769424 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02236-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
The construction of synthetic gene circuits in plants has been limited by a lack of orthogonal and modular parts. Here, we implement a CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) interference (CRISPRi)-based reversible gene circuit platform in plants. We create a toolkit of engineered repressible promoters of different strengths and construct NOT and NOR gates in Arabidopsis thaliana protoplasts. We determine the optimal processing system to express single guide RNAs from RNA Pol II promoters to introduce NOR gate programmability for interfacing with host regulatory sequences. The performance of a NOR gate in stably transformed Arabidopsis plants demonstrates the system's programmability and reversibility in a complex multicellular organism. Furthermore, cross-species activity of CRISPRi-based logic gates is shown in Physcomitrium patens, Triticum aestivum and Brassica napus protoplasts. Layering multiple NOR gates together creates OR, NIMPLY and AND logic functions, highlighting the modularity of our system. Our CRISPRi circuits are orthogonal, compact, reversible, programmable and modular and provide a platform for sophisticated spatiotemporal control of gene expression in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Adil Khan
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Gabrielle Herring
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jia Yuan Zhu
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Marina Oliva
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Elliott Fourie
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Benjamin Johnston
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Zhining Zhang
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jarred Potter
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Luke Pineda
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jahnvi Pflueger
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Tessa Swain
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Christian Pflueger
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - James P B Lloyd
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - David Secco
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ian Small
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Brendan N Kidd
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
- CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Ryan Lister
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
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Nguyen ND, Pulsford SB, Förster B, Rottet S, Rourke L, Long BM, Price GD. A carboxysome-based CO 2 concentrating mechanism for C 3 crop chloroplasts: advances and the road ahead. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 118:940-952. [PMID: 38321620 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
The introduction of the carboxysome-based CO2 concentrating mechanism (CCM) into crop plants has been modelled to significantly increase crop yields. This projection serves as motivation for pursuing this strategy to contribute to global food security. The successful implementation of this engineering challenge is reliant upon the transfer of a microcompartment that encapsulates cyanobacterial Rubisco, known as the carboxysome, alongside active bicarbonate transporters. To date, significant progress has been achieved with respect to understanding various aspects of the cyanobacterial CCM, and more recently, different components of the carboxysome have been successfully introduced into plant chloroplasts. In this Perspective piece, we summarise recent findings and offer new research avenues that will accelerate research in this field to ultimately and successfully introduce the carboxysome into crop plants for increased crop yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nghiem D Nguyen
- Plant Science Division, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 134 Linnaeus Way, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Sacha B Pulsford
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, 137 Sullivan's Ck Rd, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Britta Förster
- Plant Science Division, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 134 Linnaeus Way, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Sarah Rottet
- Plant Science Division, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 134 Linnaeus Way, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Loraine Rourke
- Plant Science Division, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 134 Linnaeus Way, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Benedict M Long
- Discipline of Biological Sciences, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, New South Wales, 2308, Australia
| | - G Dean Price
- Plant Science Division, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 134 Linnaeus Way, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
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Russo MT, Rogato A, Jaubert M, Karas BJ, Falciatore A. Phaeodactylum tricornutum: An established model species for diatom molecular research and an emerging chassis for algal synthetic biology. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2023; 59:1114-1122. [PMID: 37975560 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Diatoms are prominent and highly diverse microalgae in aquatic environments. Compared with other diatom species, Phaeodactylum tricornutum is an "atypical diatom" displaying three different morphotypes and lacking the usual silica shell. Despite being of limited ecological relevance, its ease of growth in the laboratory and well-known physiology, alongside the steady increase in genome-enabled information coupled with effective tools for manipulating gene expression, have meant it has gained increased recognition as a powerful experimental model for molecular research on diatoms. We here present a brief overview of how over the last 25 years P. tricornutum has contributed to the unveiling of fundamental aspects of diatom biology, while also emerging as a new tool for algal process engineering and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monia T Russo
- Department of Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Alessandra Rogato
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council, IBBR-CNR, Naples, Italy
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Marianne Jaubert
- UMR7141 Laboratoire de Biologie du chloroplaste et perception de la lumière chez les micro-algues, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
| | - Bogumil J Karas
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Angela Falciatore
- UMR7141 Laboratoire de Biologie du chloroplaste et perception de la lumière chez les micro-algues, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France
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6
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Garza EA, Bielinski VA, Espinoza JL, Orlandi K, Alfaro JR, Bolt TM, Beeri K, Weyman PD, Dupont CL. Validating a Promoter Library for Application in Plasmid-Based Diatom Genetic Engineering. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:3215-3228. [PMID: 37857380 PMCID: PMC10661051 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00163] [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] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
While diatoms are promising synthetic biology platforms, there currently exists a limited number of validated genetic regulatory parts available for genetic engineering. The standard method for diatom transformation, nonspecific introduction of DNA into chromosomes via biolistic particle bombardment, is low throughput and suffers from clonal variability and epigenetic effects. Recent developments in diatom engineering have demonstrated that autonomously replicating episomal plasmids serve as stable expression platforms for diverse gene expression technologies. These plasmids are delivered via bacterial conjugation and, when combined with modular DNA assembly technologies, provide a flexibility and speed not possible with biolistic-mediated strain generation. In order to expand the current toolbox for plasmid-based engineering in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, a conjugation-based forward genetics screen for promoter discovery was developed, and application to a diatom genomic DNA library defined 252 P. tricornutum promoter elements. From this library, 40 promoter/terminator pairs were delivered via conjugation on episomal plasmids, characterized in vivo, and ranked across 4 orders of magnitude difference in reporter gene expression levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin A. Garza
- J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | | | - Josh L. Espinoza
- J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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7
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Patwari P, Pruckner F, Fabris M. Biosensors in microalgae: A roadmap for new opportunities in synthetic biology and biotechnology. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 68:108221. [PMID: 37495181 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Biosensors are powerful tools to investigate, phenotype, improve and prototype microbial strains, both in fundamental research and in industrial contexts. Genetic and biotechnological developments now allow the implementation of synthetic biology approaches to novel different classes of microbial hosts, for example photosynthetic microalgae, which offer unique opportunities. To date, biosensors have not yet been implemented in phototrophic eukaryotic microorganisms, leaving great potential for novel biological and technological advancements untapped. Here, starting from selected biosensor technologies that have successfully been implemented in heterotrophic organisms, we project and define a roadmap on how these could be applied to microalgae research. We highlight novel opportunities for the development of new biosensors, identify critical challenges, and finally provide a perspective on the impact of their eventual implementation to tackle research questions and bioengineering strategies. From studying metabolism at the single-cell level to genome-wide screen approaches, and assisted laboratory evolution experiments, biosensors will greatly impact the pace of progress in understanding and engineering microalgal metabolism. We envision how this could further advance the possibilities for unraveling their ecological role, evolutionary history and accelerate their domestication, to further drive them as resource-efficient production hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Payal Patwari
- SDU Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M DK-5230, Denmark
| | - Florian Pruckner
- SDU Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M DK-5230, Denmark
| | - Michele Fabris
- SDU Biotechnology, Faculty of Engineering, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M DK-5230, Denmark.
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8
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Blázquez B, León DS, Torres-Bacete J, Gómez-Luengo Á, Kniewel R, Martínez I, Sordon S, Wilczak A, Salgado S, Huszcza E, Popłoński J, Prieto A, Nogales J. Golden Standard: a complete standard, portable, and interoperative MoClo tool for model and non-model proteobacteria. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e98. [PMID: 37718823 PMCID: PMC10602866 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Modular cloning has become a benchmark technology in synthetic biology. However, a notable disparity exists between its remarkable development and the need for standardization to facilitate seamless interoperability among systems. The field is thus impeded by an overwhelming proliferation of organism-specific systems that frequently lack compatibility. To overcome these issues, we present Golden Standard (GS), a Type IIS assembly method underpinned by the Standard European Vector Architecture. GS unlocks modular cloning applications for most bacteria, and delivers combinatorial multi-part assembly to create genetic circuits of up to twenty transcription units (TUs). Reliance on MoClo syntax renders GS fully compatible with many existing tools and it sets the path towards efficient reusability of available part libraries and assembled TUs. GS was validated in terms of DNA assembly, portability, interoperability and phenotype engineering in α-, β-, γ- and δ-proteobacteria. Furthermore, we provide a computational pipeline for parts characterization that was used to assess the performance of GS parts. To promote community-driven development of GS, we provide a dedicated web-portal including a repository of parts, vectors, and Wizard and Setup tools that guide users in designing constructs. Overall, GS establishes an open, standardized framework propelling the progress of synthetic biology as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blas Blázquez
- Department of Systems Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - David San León
- Department of Systems Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Torres-Bacete
- Department of Systems Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Álvaro Gómez-Luengo
- Department of Systems Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ryan Kniewel
- Microbial and Plant Biotechnology Department, Biological Research Center-Margarita Salas, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Igor Martínez
- Department of Systems Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sandra Sordon
- Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis, Norwida 25, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Wilczak
- Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis, Norwida 25, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Sergio Salgado
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Microbial and Plant Biotechnology Department, Biological Research Center-Margarita Salas, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ewa Huszcza
- Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis, Norwida 25, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Jarosław Popłoński
- Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis, Norwida 25, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Auxiliadora Prieto
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Microbial and Plant Biotechnology Department, Biological Research Center-Margarita Salas, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Nogales
- Department of Systems Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy-Spanish National Research Council (SusPlast-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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9
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Piepers M, Erbstein K, Reyes-Hernandez J, Song C, Tessi T, Petrasiunaite V, Faerber N, Distel K, Maizel A. GreenGate 2.0: Backwards compatible addons for assembly of complex transcriptional units and their stacking with GreenGate. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290097. [PMID: 37682951 PMCID: PMC10490876 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular cloning is a crucial technique in genetic engineering that enables the precise design of synthetic transcriptional units (TUs) and the manipulation of genomes. GreenGate and several other modular molecular cloning systems were developed about ten years ago and are widely used in plant research. All these systems define grammars for assembling transcriptional units from building blocks, cloned as Level 0 modules flanked by four-base pair overhangs and recognition sites for a particular Type IIs endonuclease. Modules are efficiently assembled into Level 1 TUs in a hierarchical assembly process, and Level 2 multigene constructs are assembled by stacking Level 1 TUs. GreenGate is highly popular but has three main limitations. First, using ad-hoc overhangs added by PCR and classical restriction/ligation prevents the efficient use of a one-pot, one-step reaction to generate entry clones and domesticate internal sites; second, a Level 1 TU is assembled from a maximum of six modules, which may be limiting for applications such as multiplex genome editing; third, the generation of Level 2 assemblies is sequential and inefficient. GreenGate 2.0 (GG2.0) expands GreenGate features. It introduces additional overhangs, allowing for the combination of up to 12 Level 0 modules in a Level 1 TU. It includes a Universal Entry Generator plasmid (pUEG) to streamline the generation of Level 0 modules. GG2.0 introduces GreenBraid, a convenient method for stacking transcriptional units iteratively for multigene assemblies. Importantly, GG2.0 is backwards compatible with most existing GreenGate modules. Additionally, GG2.0 includes Level 0 modules for multiplex expression of guide RNAs for CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing and pre-assembled Level 1 vectors for dexamethasone-inducible gene expression and ubiquitous expression of plasma membrane and nuclear fluorescent markers. GG2.0 streamlines and increases the versatility of assembling complex transcriptional units and their combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Piepers
- Center for Organismal Studies (COS), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katarina Erbstein
- Center for Organismal Studies (COS), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Changzheng Song
- Center for Organismal Studies (COS), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tomas Tessi
- Center for Organismal Studies (COS), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Vesta Petrasiunaite
- Center for Organismal Studies (COS), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Naja Faerber
- Center for Organismal Studies (COS), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kathrin Distel
- Center for Organismal Studies (COS), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexis Maizel
- Center for Organismal Studies (COS), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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10
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Kocaoglan EG, Radhakrishnan D, Nakayama N. Synthetic developmental biology: molecular tools to re-design plant shoots and roots. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:3864-3876. [PMID: 37155965 PMCID: PMC10826796 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Plant morphology and anatomy strongly influence agricultural yield. Crop domestication has strived for desirable growth and developmental traits, such as larger and more fruits and semi-dwarf architecture. Genetic engineering has accelerated rational, purpose-driven engineering of plant development, but it can be unpredictable. Developmental pathways are complex and riddled with environmental and hormonal inputs, as well as feedback and feedforward interactions, which occur at specific times and places in a growing multicellular organism. Rational modification of plant development would probably benefit from precision engineering based on synthetic biology approaches. This review outlines recently developed synthetic biology technologies for plant systems and highlights their potential for engineering plant growth and development. Streamlined and high-capacity genetic construction methods (Golden Gate DNA Assembly frameworks and toolkits) allow fast and variation-series cloning of multigene transgene constructs. This, together with a suite of gene regulation tools (e.g. cell type-specific promoters, logic gates, and multiplex regulation systems), is starting to enable developmental pathway engineering with predictable outcomes in model plant and crop species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elif Gediz Kocaoglan
- Department of Bioengineering, Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Dhanya Radhakrishnan
- Department of Bioengineering, Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Naomi Nakayama
- Department of Bioengineering, Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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11
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Gomez-Hinostroza ES, Gurdo N, Alvan Vargas MVG, Nikel PI, Guazzaroni ME, Guaman LP, Castillo Cornejo DJ, Platero R, Barba-Ostria C. Current landscape and future directions of synthetic biology in South America. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1069628. [PMID: 36845183 PMCID: PMC9950111 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1069628] [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: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology (SynBio) is a rapidly advancing multidisciplinary field in which South American countries such as Chile, Argentina, and Brazil have made notable contributions and have established leadership positions in the region. In recent years, efforts have strengthened SynBio in the rest of the countries, and although progress is significant, growth has not matched that of the aforementioned countries. Initiatives such as iGEM and TECNOx have introduced students and researchers from various countries to the foundations of SynBio. Several factors have hindered progress in the field, including scarce funding from both public and private sources for synthetic biology projects, an underdeveloped biotech industry, and a lack of policies to promote bio-innovation. However, open science initiatives such as the DIY movement and OSHW have helped to alleviate some of these challenges. Similarly, the abundance of natural resources and biodiversity make South America an attractive location to invest in and develop SynBio projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Sebastian Gomez-Hinostroza
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Citogenética y Biomoléculas de Anfibios (LICBA), Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina (CISeAL), Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Nicolás Gurdo
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Pablo I. Nikel
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Linda P. Guaman
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica (CENBIO), Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad UTE, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | - Raúl Platero
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental, Departamento de Bioquímica y Genómica Microbianas, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Carlos Barba-Ostria
- Escuela de Medicina, Colegio de Ciencias de la Salud Quito, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador,Instituto de Microbiología, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ, Quito, Ecuador,*Correspondence: Carlos Barba-Ostria,
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12
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Rizzo P, Chavez BG, Leite Dias S, D'Auria JC. Plant synthetic biology: from inspiration to augmentation. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2023; 79:102857. [PMID: 36502769 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Although it is still in its infancy, synthetic biology has the capacity to face scientific and societal problems related to modern agriculture. Innovations in cloning toolkits and genetic parts allow increased precision over gene expression in planta. We review the vast spectrum of available technologies providing a practical list of toolkits that take advantage of combinatorial power to introduce/alter metabolic pathways. We highlight that rational design is inspired by deep knowledge of natural and biochemical mechanisms. Finally, we provide several examples in which modern technologies have been applied to address these critical topics. Future applications in plants include not only pathway modifications but also prospects of augmenting plant anatomical features and developmental processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paride Rizzo
- Metabolite Diversity Group, Department of Molecular Genetics, Leibniz Institute for Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) OT Gatersleben, Correnstr. 3, D-06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - Benjamin G Chavez
- Metabolite Diversity Group, Department of Molecular Genetics, Leibniz Institute for Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) OT Gatersleben, Correnstr. 3, D-06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - Sara Leite Dias
- Metabolite Diversity Group, Department of Molecular Genetics, Leibniz Institute for Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) OT Gatersleben, Correnstr. 3, D-06466 Seeland, Germany
| | - John C D'Auria
- Metabolite Diversity Group, Department of Molecular Genetics, Leibniz Institute for Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) OT Gatersleben, Correnstr. 3, D-06466 Seeland, Germany.
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13
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Abstract
The continual demand for specialized molecular cloning techniques that suit a broad range of applications has driven the development of many different cloning strategies. One method that has gained significant traction is Golden Gate assembly, which achieves hierarchical assembly of DNA parts by utilizing Type IIS restriction enzymes to produce user-specified sticky ends on cut DNA fragments. This technique has been modularized and standardized, and includes different subfamilies of methods, the most widely adopted of which are the MoClo and Golden Braid standards. Moreover, specialized toolboxes tailored to specific applications or organisms are also available. Still, the quantity and range of assembly methods can constitute a barrier to adoption for new users, and even experienced scientists might find it difficult to discern which tools are best suited toward their goals. In this review, we provide a beginner-friendly guide to Golden Gate assembly, compare the different available standards, and detail the specific features and quirks of commonly used toolboxes. We also provide an update on the state-of-the-art in Golden Gate technology, discussing recent advances and challenges to inform existing users and promote standard practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine
E. Bird
- School
of Computing, Faculty of Science Agriculture and Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Jon Marles-Wright
- Biosciences
Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle
upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United
Kingdom,
| | - Andrea Giachino
- Biosciences
Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle
upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, United
Kingdom,School
of Science, Engineering & Environment, University of Salford, Salford, M5 4NT, United Kingdom
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14
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Giovagnetti V, Jaubert M, Shukla MK, Ungerer P, Bouly JP, Falciatore A, Ruban AV. Biochemical and molecular properties of LHCX1, the essential regulator of dynamic photoprotection in diatoms. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 188:509-525. [PMID: 34595530 PMCID: PMC8774712 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Light harvesting is regulated by a process triggered by the acidification of the thylakoid lumen, known as nonphotochemical "energy-dependent quenching" (qE). In diatoms, qE is controlled by the light-harvesting complex (LHC) protein LHCX1, while the LHC stress-related (LHCSR) and photosystem II subunit S proteins are essential for green algae and plants, respectively. Here, we report a biochemical and molecular characterization of LHCX1 to investigate its role in qE. We found that, when grown under intermittent light, Phaeodactylum tricornutum forms very large qE, due to LHCX1 constitutive upregulation. This "super qE" is abolished in LHCX1 knockout mutants. Biochemical and spectroscopic analyses of LHCX1 reveal that this protein might differ in the character of binding pigments relative to the major pool of light-harvesting antenna proteins. The possibility of transient pigment binding or not binding pigments at all is discussed. Targeted mutagenesis of putative protonatable residues (D95 and E205) in transgenic P. tricornutum lines does not alter qE capacity, showing that they are not involved in sensing lumen pH, differently from residues conserved in LHCSR3. Our results suggest functional divergence between LHCX1 and LHCSR3 in qE modulation. We propose that LHCX1 evolved independently to facilitate dynamic tracking of light fluctuations in turbulent waters. The evolution of LHCX(-like) proteins in organisms with secondary red plastids, such as diatoms, might have conferred a selective advantage in the control of dynamic photoprotection, ultimately resulting in their ecological success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasco Giovagnetti
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Marianne Jaubert
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Chloroplaste et Perception de la Lumière Chez les Micro-algues, UMR7141, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris 75005, France
| | - Mahendra K Shukla
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Petra Ungerer
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Jean-Pierre Bouly
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Chloroplaste et Perception de la Lumière Chez les Micro-algues, UMR7141, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris 75005, France
| | - Angela Falciatore
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Chloroplaste et Perception de la Lumière Chez les Micro-algues, UMR7141, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris 75005, France
| | - Alexander V Ruban
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
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15
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Taparia Y, Dolui AK, Boussiba S, Khozin-Goldberg I. Multiplexed Genome Editing via an RNA Polymerase II Promoter-Driven sgRNA Array in the Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum: Insights Into the Role of StLDP. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 12:784780. [PMID: 35058949 PMCID: PMC8763850 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.784780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing has been demonstrated in the model diatom P. tricornutum, yet the currently available genetic tools do not combine the various advantageous features into a single, easy-to-assemble, modular construct that would allow the multiplexed targeting and creation of marker-free genome-edited lines. In this report, we describe the construction of the first modular two-component transcriptional unit system expressing SpCas9 from a diatom episome, assembled using the Universal Loop plasmid kit for Golden Gate assembly. We compared the editing efficiency of two constructs with orthogonal promoter-terminator combinations targeting the StLDP gene, encoding the major lipid droplet protein of P. tricornutum. Multiplexed targeting of the StLDP gene was confirmed via PCR screening, and lines with homozygous deletions were isolated from primary exconjugants. An editing efficiency ranging from 6.7 to 13.8% was observed in the better performing construct. Selected gene-edited lines displayed growth impairment, altered morphology, and the formation of lipid droplets during nutrient-replete growth. Under nitrogen deprivation, oversized lipid droplets were observed; the recovery of cell proliferation and degradation of lipid droplets were impaired after nitrogen replenishment. The results are consistent with the key role played by StLDP in the regulation of lipid droplet size and lipid homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Inna Khozin-Goldberg
- Microalgal Biotechnology Laboratory, French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Sede Boqer, Israel
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16
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Round JW, Robeck LD, Eltis LD. An Integrative Toolbox for Synthetic Biology in Rhodococcus. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:2383-2395. [PMID: 34428025 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The development of microbial cell factories requires robust synthetic biology tools to reduce design uncertainty and accelerate the design-build-test-learn process. Herein, we developed a suite of integrative genetic tools to facilitate the engineering of Rhodococcus, a genus of bacteria with considerable biocatalytic potential. We first created pRIME, a modular, copy-controlled integrative-vector, to provide a robust platform for strain engineering and characterizing genetic parts. This vector was then employed to benchmark a series of strong promoters. We found PM6 to be the strongest constitutive rhodococcal promoter, 2.5- to 3-fold stronger than the next in our study, while overall promoter activities ranged 23-fold between the weakest and strongest promoters during exponential growth. Next, we used an optimized variant of PM6 to develop hybrid-promoters and integrative vectors to allow for tetracycline-inducible gene expression in Rhodococcus. The best of the resulting hybrid-promoters maintained a maximal activity of ∼50% of PM6 and displayed an induction factor of ∼40-fold. Finally, we developed and implemented a uLoop-derived Golden Gate assembly strategy for high-throughput DNA assembly in Rhodococcus. To demonstrate the utility of our approaches, pRIME was used to engineer Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 to grow on vanillin at concentrations 10-fold higher than what the wild-type strain tolerated. Overall, this study provides a suite of tools that will accelerate the engineering of Rhodococcus for various biocatalytic applications, including the sustainable production of chemicals from lignin-derived aromatics.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W. Round
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Logan D. Robeck
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Lindsay D. Eltis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
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17
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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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18
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Arce A, Guzman Chavez F, Gandini C, Puig J, Matute T, Haseloff J, Dalchau N, Molloy J, Pardee K, Federici F. Decentralizing Cell-Free RNA Sensing With the Use of Low-Cost Cell Extracts. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:727584. [PMID: 34497801 PMCID: PMC8419261 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.727584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-free gene expression systems have emerged as a promising platform for field-deployed biosensing and diagnostics. When combined with programmable toehold switch-based RNA sensors, these systems can be used to detect arbitrary RNAs and freeze-dried for room temperature transport to the point-of-need. These sensors, however, have been mainly implemented using reconstituted PURE cell-free protein expression systems that are difficult to source in the Global South due to their high commercial cost and cold-chain shipping requirements. Based on preliminary demonstrations of toehold sensors working on lysates, we describe the fast prototyping of RNA toehold switch-based sensors that can be produced locally and reduce the cost of sensors by two orders of magnitude. We demonstrate that these in-house cell lysates provide sensor performance comparable to commercial PURE cell-free systems. We further optimize these lysates with a CRISPRi strategy to enhance the stability of linear DNAs by knocking-down genes responsible for linear DNA degradation. This enables the direct use of PCR products for fast screening of new designs. As a proof-of-concept, we develop novel toehold sensors for the plant pathogen Potato Virus Y (PVY), which dramatically reduces the yield of this important staple crop. The local implementation of low-cost cell-free toehold sensors could enable biosensing capacity at the regional level and lead to more decentralized models for global surveillance of infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anibal Arce
- ANID – Millennium Science Initiative Program – Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago, Chile
- Schools of Engineering, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Chiara Gandini
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Juan Puig
- ANID – Millennium Science Initiative Program – Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago, Chile
- Schools of Engineering, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Tamara Matute
- ANID – Millennium Science Initiative Program – Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago, Chile
- Schools of Engineering, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jim Haseloff
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jenny Molloy
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Keith Pardee
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Fernán Federici
- ANID – Millennium Science Initiative Program – Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago, Chile
- Schools of Engineering, Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Medicine and Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- FONDAP Center for Genome Regulation, Santiago, Chile
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19
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Pasin F. Oligonucleotide abundance biases aid design of a type IIS synthetic genomics framework with plant virome capacity. Biotechnol J 2021; 16:e2000354. [PMID: 33410597 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202000354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic genomics-driven dematerialization of genetic resources facilitates flexible hypothesis testing and rapid product development. Biological sequences have compositional biases, which, I reasoned, could be exploited for engineering of enhanced synthetic genomics systems. In proof-of-concept assays reported herein, the abundance of random oligonucleotides in viral genomic components was analyzed and used for the rational design of a synthetic genomics framework with plant virome capacity (SynViP). Type IIS endonucleases with low abundance in the plant virome, as well as Golden Gate and No See'm principles were combined with DNA chemical synthesis for seamless viral clone assembly by one-step digestion-ligation. The framework described does not require subcloning steps, is insensitive to insert terminal sequences, and was used with linear and circular DNA molecules. Based on a digital template, DNA fragments were chemically synthesized and assembled by one-step cloning to yield a scar-free infectious clone of a plant virus suitable for Agrobacterium-mediated delivery. SynViP allowed rescue of a genuine virus without biological material, and has the potential to greatly accelerate biological characterization and engineering of plant viruses as well as derived biotechnological tools. Finally, computational identification of compositional biases in biological sequences might become a common standard to aid scalable biosystems design and engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Pasin
- School of Science, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.,Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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20
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Valenzuela-Ortega M, French C. Joint universal modular plasmids (JUMP): a flexible vector platform for synthetic biology. Synth Biol (Oxf) 2021; 6:ysab003. [PMID: 33623824 PMCID: PMC7889407 DOI: 10.1093/synbio/ysab003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Generation of new DNA constructs is an essential process in modern life science and biotechnology. Modular cloning systems based on Golden Gate cloning, using Type IIS restriction endonucleases, allow assembly of complex multipart constructs from reusable basic DNA parts in a rapid, reliable and automation-friendly way. Many such toolkits are available, with varying degrees of compatibility, most of which are aimed at specific host organisms. Here, we present a vector design which allows simple vector modification by using modular cloning to assemble and add new functions in secondary sites flanking the main insertion site (used for conventional modular cloning). Assembly in all sites is compatible with the PhytoBricks standard, and vectors are compatible with the Standard European Vector Architecture (SEVA) as well as BioBricks. We demonstrate that this facilitates the construction of vectors with tailored functions and simplifies the workflow for generating libraries of constructs with common elements. We have made available a collection of vectors with 10 different microbial replication origins, varying in copy number and host range, and allowing chromosomal integration, as well as a selection of commonly used basic parts. This design expands the range of hosts which can be easily modified by modular cloning and acts as a toolkit which can be used to facilitate the generation of new toolkits with specific functions required for targeting further hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Valenzuela-Ortega
- Centre for Systems and Synthetic Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Roger Land Building, Alexander Crum Brown Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
| | - Christopher French
- Centre for Systems and Synthetic Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Roger Land Building, Alexander Crum Brown Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK.,Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Joint Research Centre for Engineering Biology, International Campus, Zhejiang University, Haining, Zhejiang 314400, China
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21
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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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22
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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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23
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Yang X, Medford JI, Markel K, Shih PM, De Paoli HC, Trinh CT, McCormick AJ, Ployet R, Hussey SG, Myburg AA, Jensen PE, Hassan MM, Zhang J, Muchero W, Kalluri UC, Yin H, Zhuo R, Abraham PE, Chen JG, Weston DJ, Yang Y, Liu D, Li Y, Labbe J, Yang B, Lee JH, Cottingham RW, Martin S, Lu M, Tschaplinski TJ, Yuan G, Lu H, Ranjan P, Mitchell JC, Wullschleger SD, Tuskan GA. Plant Biosystems Design Research Roadmap 1.0. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2020; 2020:8051764. [PMID: 37849899 PMCID: PMC10521729 DOI: 10.34133/2020/8051764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Human life intimately depends on plants for food, biomaterials, health, energy, and a sustainable environment. Various plants have been genetically improved mostly through breeding, along with limited modification via genetic engineering, yet they are still not able to meet the ever-increasing needs, in terms of both quantity and quality, resulting from the rapid increase in world population and expected standards of living. A step change that may address these challenges would be to expand the potential of plants using biosystems design approaches. This represents a shift in plant science research from relatively simple trial-and-error approaches to innovative strategies based on predictive models of biological systems. Plant biosystems design seeks to accelerate plant genetic improvement using genome editing and genetic circuit engineering or create novel plant systems through de novo synthesis of plant genomes. From this perspective, we present a comprehensive roadmap of plant biosystems design covering theories, principles, and technical methods, along with potential applications in basic and applied plant biology research. We highlight current challenges, future opportunities, and research priorities, along with a framework for international collaboration, towards rapid advancement of this emerging interdisciplinary area of research. Finally, we discuss the importance of social responsibility in utilizing plant biosystems design and suggest strategies for improving public perception, trust, and acceptance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohan Yang
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - June I. Medford
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Kasey Markel
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Patrick M. Shih
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Feedstocks Division, Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
| | - Henrique C. De Paoli
- Department of Biodesign, Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Cong T. Trinh
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Alistair J. McCormick
- SynthSys and Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Raphael Ployet
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Steven G. Hussey
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Alexander A. Myburg
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Poul Erik Jensen
- Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 26, DK-1858, Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Md Mahmudul Hassan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Jin Zhang
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China
| | - Wellington Muchero
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Udaya C. Kalluri
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Hengfu Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311400, China
| | - Renying Zhuo
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311400, China
| | - Paul E. Abraham
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Jin-Gui Chen
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - David J. Weston
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Yinong Yang
- Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology and the Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Degao Liu
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, Center for Precision Plant Genomics and Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Jessy Labbe
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Bing Yang
- Division of Plant Sciences, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jun Hyung Lee
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | | | - Stanton Martin
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Mengzhu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China
| | - Timothy J. Tschaplinski
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Guoliang Yuan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Haiwei Lu
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Priya Ranjan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Julie C. Mitchell
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Stan D. Wullschleger
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Gerald A. Tuskan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
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24
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Gallegos JE, Rogers MF, Cialek CA, Peccoud J. Rapid, robust plasmid verification by de novo assembly of short sequencing reads. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:e106. [PMID: 32890398 PMCID: PMC7544192 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmids are a foundational tool for basic and applied research across all subfields of biology. Increasingly, researchers in synthetic biology are relying on and developing massive libraries of plasmids as vectors for directed evolution, combinatorial gene circuit tests, and for CRISPR multiplexing. Verification of plasmid sequences following synthesis is a crucial quality control step that creates a bottleneck in plasmid fabrication workflows. Crucially, researchers often elect to forego the cumbersome verification step, potentially leading to reproducibility and—depending on the application—security issues. In order to facilitate plasmid verification to improve the quality and reproducibility of life science research, we developed a fast, simple, and open source pipeline for assembly and verification of plasmid sequences from Illumina reads. We demonstrate that our pipeline, which relies on de novo assembly, can also be used to detect contaminating sequences in plasmid samples. In addition to presenting our pipeline, we discuss the role for verification and quality control in the increasingly complex life science workflows ushered in by synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna E Gallegos
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Colorado State University, USA
| | | | - Charlotte A Cialek
- GenoFAB, Inc.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, USA
| | - Jean Peccoud
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Colorado State University, USA.,GenoFAB, Inc
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25
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George J, Kahlke T, Abbriano RM, Kuzhiumparambil U, Ralph PJ, Fabris M. Metabolic Engineering Strategies in Diatoms Reveal Unique Phenotypes and Genetic Configurations With Implications for Algal Genetics and Synthetic Biology. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:513. [PMID: 32582656 PMCID: PMC7290003 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Diatoms are photosynthetic microeukaryotes that dominate phytoplankton populations and have increasing applicability in biotechnology. Uncovering their complex biology and elevating strains to commercial standards depends heavily on robust genetic engineering tools. However, engineering microalgal genomes predominantly relies on random integration of transgenes into nuclear DNA, often resulting in detrimental “position-effects” such as transgene silencing, integration into transcriptionally-inactive regions, and endogenous sequence disruption. With the recent development of extrachromosomal transgene expression via independent episomes, it is timely to investigate both strategies at the phenotypic and genomic level. Here, we engineered the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum to produce the high-value heterologous monoterpenoid geraniol, which, besides applications as fragrance and insect repellent, is a key intermediate of high-value pharmaceuticals. Using high-throughput phenotyping we confirmed the suitability of episomes for synthetic biology applications and identified superior geraniol-yielding strains following random integration. We used third generation long-read sequencing technology to generate a complete analysis of all transgene integration events including their genomic locations and arrangements associated with high-performing strains at a genome-wide scale with subchromosomal detail, never before reported in any microalga. This revealed very large, highly concatenated insertion islands, offering profound implications on diatom functional genetics and next generation genome editing technologies, and is key for developing more precise genome engineering approaches in diatoms, including possible genomic safe harbour locations to support high transgene expression for targeted integration approaches. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that exogenous DNA is not integrated inadvertently into the nuclear genome of extrachromosomal-expression clones, an important characterisation of this novel engineering approach that paves the road to synthetic biology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jestin George
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Tim Kahlke
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Raffaela M Abbriano
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Peter J Ralph
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Michele Fabris
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.,CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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