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Goodchild-Michelman IM, Church GM, Schubert MG, Tang TC. Light and carbon: Synthetic biology toward new cyanobacteria-based living biomaterials. Mater Today Bio 2023; 19:100583. [PMID: 36846306 PMCID: PMC9945787 DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100583] [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: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are ideal candidates to use in developing carbon neutral and carbon negative technologies; they are efficient photosynthesizers and amenable to genetic manipulation. Over the past two decades, researchers have demonstrated that cyanobacteria can make sustainable, useful biomaterials, many of which are engineered living materials. However, we are only beginning to see such technologies applied at an industrial scale. In this review, we explore the ways in which synthetic biology tools enable the development of cyanobacteria-based biomaterials. First we give an overview of the ecological and biogeochemical importance of cyanobacteria and the work that has been done using cyanobacteria to create biomaterials so far. This is followed by a discussion of commonly used cyanobacteria strains and synthetic biology tools that exist to engineer cyanobacteria. Then, three case studies-bioconcrete, biocomposites, and biophotovoltaics-are explored as potential applications of synthetic biology in cyanobacteria-based materials. Finally, challenges and future directions of cyanobacterial biomaterials are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella M. Goodchild-Michelman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - George M. Church
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Max G. Schubert
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tzu-Chieh Tang
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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2
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Ojeda-Rivera JO, Alejo-Jacuinde G, Nájera-González HR, López-Arredondo D. Prospects of genetics and breeding for low-phosphate tolerance: an integrated approach from soil to cell. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2022; 135:4125-4150. [PMID: 35524816 PMCID: PMC9729153 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-022-04095-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Improving phosphorus (P) crop nutrition has emerged as a key factor toward achieving a more resilient and sustainable agriculture. P is an essential nutrient for plant development and reproduction, and phosphate (Pi)-based fertilizers represent one of the pillars that sustain food production systems. To meet the global food demand, the challenge for modern agriculture is to increase food production and improve food quality in a sustainable way by significantly optimizing Pi fertilizer use efficiency. The development of genetically improved crops with higher Pi uptake and Pi-use efficiency and higher adaptability to environments with low-Pi availability will play a crucial role toward this end. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of Pi nutrition and the regulation of Pi-starvation responses in plants, and provide new perspectives on how to harness the ample repertoire of genetic mechanisms behind these adaptive responses for crop improvement. We discuss on the potential of implementing more integrative, versatile, and effective strategies by incorporating systems biology approaches and tools such as genome editing and synthetic biology. These strategies will be invaluable for producing high-yielding crops that require reduced Pi fertilizer inputs and to develop a more sustainable global agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Odilón Ojeda-Rivera
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Gerardo Alejo-Jacuinde
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Héctor-Rogelio Nájera-González
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Damar López-Arredondo
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Institute of Genomics for Crop Abiotic Stress Tolerance, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA.
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Gupta D, Sharma G, Saraswat P, Ranjan R. Synthetic Biology in Plants, a Boon for Coming Decades. Mol Biotechnol 2021; 63:1138-1154. [PMID: 34420149 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-021-00386-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Recently an enormous expansion of knowledge is seen in various disciplines of science. This surge of information has given rise to concept of interdisciplinary fields, which has resulted in emergence of newer research domains, one of them is 'Synthetic Biology' (SynBio). It captures basics from core biology and integrates it with concepts from the other areas of study such as chemical, electrical, and computational sciences. The essence of synthetic biology is to rewire, re-program, and re-create natural biological pathways, which are carried through genetic circuits. A genetic circuit is a functional assembly of basic biological entities (DNA, RNA, proteins), created using typical design, built, and test cycles. These circuits allow scientists to engineer nearly all biological systems for various useful purposes. The development of sophisticated molecular tools, techniques, genomic programs, and ease of nucleic acid synthesis have further fueled several innovative application of synthetic biology in areas like molecular medicines, pharmaceuticals, biofuels, drug discovery, metabolomics, developing plant biosensors, utilization of prokaryotic systems for metabolite production, and CRISPR/Cas9 in the crop improvement. These applications have largely been dominated by utilization of prokaryotic systems. However, newer researches have indicated positive growth of SynBio for the eukaryotic systems as well. This paper explores advances of synthetic biology in the plant field by elaborating on its core components and potential applications. Here, we have given a comprehensive idea of designing, development, and utilization of synthetic biology in the improvement of the present research state of plant system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipinte Gupta
- Plant Biotechnology Lab, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute (Deemed to be University), Dayalbagh, Agra, 282005, India
| | - Gauri Sharma
- Plant Biotechnology Lab, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute (Deemed to be University), Dayalbagh, Agra, 282005, India
| | - Pooja Saraswat
- Plant Biotechnology Lab, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute (Deemed to be University), Dayalbagh, Agra, 282005, India
| | - Rajiv Ranjan
- Plant Biotechnology Lab, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute (Deemed to be University), Dayalbagh, Agra, 282005, India.
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4
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Srubar WV. Engineered Living Materials: Taxonomies and Emerging Trends. Trends Biotechnol 2020; 39:574-583. [PMID: 33234328 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
At the intersection of synthetic biology and materials science, the field of engineered living materials (ELMs) has evolved into a new, standalone discipline. The fusion of bioengineering's design-build-test-learn approaches with classical materials science has yielded breakthrough innovations in the synthesis of complex, biologically active materials for functional applications in therapeutics, electronics, construction, and beyond. However, the transdisciplinary nature of the ELM field - and its rapid growth - has made holistic comprehension of achievements related to the tools, techniques, and applications of ELMs difficult across disciplines. To this end, this review proposes an emergent taxonomy of ELM research and uses the categorization to discuss current trends and state-of-the-art advancements, significant opportunities, and imminent challenges for scientists and engineers in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wil V Srubar
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA; Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
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Lu H, Yuan G, Strauss SH, Tschaplinski TJ, Tuskan GA, Chen JG, Yang X. Reconfiguring Plant Metabolism for Biodegradable Plastic Production. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2020; 2020:9078303. [PMID: 37849903 PMCID: PMC10530661 DOI: 10.34133/2020/9078303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
For decades, plants have been the subject of genetic engineering to synthesize novel, value-added compounds. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a large class of biodegradable biopolymers naturally synthesized in eubacteria, are among the novel products that have been introduced to make use of plant acetyl-CoA metabolic pathways. It was hoped that renewable PHA production would help address environmental issues associated with the accumulation of nondegradable plastic wastes. However, after three decades of effort synthesizing PHAs, and in particular the simplest form polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), and seeking to improve their production in plants, it has proven very difficult to reach a commercially profitable rate in a normally growing plant. This seems to be due to the growth defects associated with PHA production and accumulation in plant cells. Here, we review major breakthroughs that have been made in plant-based PHA synthesis using traditional genetic engineering approaches and discuss challenges that have been encountered. Then, from the point of view of plant synthetic biology, we provide perspectives on reprograming plant acetyl-CoA pathways for PHA production, with the goal of maximizing PHA yield while minimizing growth inhibition. Specifically, we suggest genetic elements that can be considered in genetic circuit design, approaches for nuclear genome and plastome modification, and the use of multiomics and mathematical modeling in understanding and restructuring plant metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiwei Lu
- Biosciences Division, 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
| | - Steven H. Strauss
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - 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
| | - 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
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Hanson AD, Jez JM. Synthetic biology meets plant metabolism. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 273:1-2. [PMID: 29907301 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2018.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Hanson
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States; Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States
| | - Joseph M Jez
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States; Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States.
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Lukan T, Machens F, Coll A, Baebler Š, Messerschmidt K, Gruden K. Plant X-tender: An extension of the AssemblX system for the assembly and expression of multigene constructs in plants. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0190526. [PMID: 29300787 PMCID: PMC5754074 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cloning multiple DNA fragments for delivery of several genes of interest into the plant genome is one of the main technological challenges in plant synthetic biology. Despite several modular assembly methods developed in recent years, the plant biotechnology community has not widely adopted them yet, probably due to the lack of appropriate vectors and software tools. Here we present Plant X-tender, an extension of the highly efficient, scar-free and sequence-independent multigene assembly strategy AssemblX, based on overlap-depended cloning methods and rare-cutting restriction enzymes. Plant X-tender consists of a set of plant expression vectors and the protocols for most efficient cloning into the novel vector set needed for plant expression and thus introduces advantages of AssemblX into plant synthetic biology. The novel vector set covers different backbones and selection markers to allow full design flexibility. We have included ccdB counterselection, thereby allowing the transfer of multigene constructs into the novel vector set in a straightforward and highly efficient way. Vectors are available as empty backbones and are fully flexible regarding the orientation of expression cassettes and addition of linkers between them, if required. We optimised the assembly and subcloning protocol by testing different scar-less assembly approaches: the noncommercial SLiCE and TAR methods and the commercial Gibson assembly and NEBuilder HiFi DNA assembly kits. Plant X-tender was applicable even in combination with low efficient homemade chemically competent or electrocompetent Escherichia coli. We have further validated the developed procedure for plant protein expression by cloning two cassettes into the newly developed vectors and subsequently transferred them to Nicotiana benthamiana in a transient expression setup. Thereby we show that multigene constructs can be delivered into plant cells in a streamlined and highly efficient way. Our results will support faster introduction of synthetic biology into plant science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tjaša Lukan
- National Institute of Biology, Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- * E-mail:
| | - Fabian Machens
- University of Potsdam, Cell2Fab Research Unit, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Anna Coll
- National Institute of Biology, Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Špela Baebler
- National Institute of Biology, Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Kristina Gruden
- National Institute of Biology, Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Samodelov SL, Zurbriggen MD. Quantitatively Understanding Plant Signaling: Novel Theoretical-Experimental Approaches. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 22:685-704. [PMID: 28668509 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2017.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2016] [Revised: 05/15/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
With the need to respond to and integrate a multitude of external and internal stimuli, plant signaling is highly complex, exhibiting signaling component redundancy and high interconnectedness between individual pathways. We review here novel theoretical-experimental approaches in manipulating plant signaling towards the goal of a comprehensive understanding and targeted quantitative control of plant processes. We highlight approaches taken in the field of synthetic biology used in other systems and discuss their applicability in plants. Finally, we introduce existing tools for the quantitative analysis and monitoring of plant signaling and the integration of experimentally obtained quantitative data into mathematical models. Incorporating principles of synthetic biology into plant sciences more widely will lead this field forward in both fundamental and applied research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia L Samodelov
- Institute of Synthetic Biology and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany; Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matias D Zurbriggen
- Institute of Synthetic Biology and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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Nemhauser JL, Torii KU. Plant synthetic biology for molecular engineering of signalling and development. NATURE PLANTS 2016; 2:16010. [PMID: 27249346 PMCID: PMC5164986 DOI: 10.1038/nplants.2016.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Molecular genetic studies of model plants in the past few decades have identified many key genes and pathways controlling development, metabolism and environmental responses. Recent technological and informatics advances have led to unprecedented volumes of data that may uncover underlying principles of plants as biological systems. The newly emerged discipline of synthetic biology and related molecular engineering approaches is built on this strong foundation. Today, plant regulatory pathways can be reconstituted in heterologous organisms to identify and manipulate parameters influencing signalling outputs. Moreover, regulatory circuits that include receptors, ligands, signal transduction components, epigenetic machinery and molecular motors can be engineered and introduced into plants to create novel traits in a predictive manner. Here, we provide a brief history of plant synthetic biology and significant recent examples of this approach, focusing on how knowledge generated by the reference plant Arabidopsis thaliana has contributed to the rapid rise of this new discipline, and discuss potential future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Keiko U Torii
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
- Institute of Transformative Biomolecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
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