1
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Courdavault V, Papon N. Metabolic engineering of plant medicines. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:307. [PMID: 38337018 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00705-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicolas Papon
- University of Angers, University of Brest, IRF, Angers, France
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2
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Li Z, Li S, Chen L, Sun T, Zhang W. Fast-growing cyanobacterial chassis for synthetic biology application. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2024; 44:414-428. [PMID: 36842999 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2023.2166455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
Carbon neutrality by 2050 has become one of the most urgent challenges the world faces today. To address the issue, it is necessary to develop and promote new technologies related with CO2 recycling. Cyanobacteria are the only prokaryotes performing oxygenic photosynthesis, capable of fixing CO2 into biomass under sunlight and serving as one of the most important primary producers on earth. Notably, recent progress on synthetic biology has led to utilizing model cyanobacteria such as Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 as chassis for "light-driven autotrophic cell factories" to produce several dozens of biofuels and various fine chemicals directly from CO2. However, due to the slow growth rate and low biomass accumulation in the current chassis, the productivity for most products is still lower than the threshold necessary for large-scale commercial application, raising the importance of developing high-efficiency cyanobacterial chassis with fast growth and/or higher biomass accumulation capabilities. In this article, we critically reviewed recent progresses on identification, systems biology analysis, and engineering of fast-growing cyanobacterial chassis. Specifically, fast-growing cyanobacteria identified in recent years, such as S. elongatus UTEX 2973, S. elongatus PCC 11801, S. elongatus PCC 11802 and Synechococcus sp. PCC 11901 was comparatively analyzed. In addition, the progresses on their recent application in converting CO2 into chemicals, and genetic toolboxes developed for these new cyanobacterial chassis were discussed. Finally, the article provides insights into future challenges and perspectives on the synthetic biology application of cyanobacterial chassis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixiang Li
- Laboratory of Synthetic Microbiology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education of China, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Shubin Li
- Laboratory of Synthetic Microbiology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education of China, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Lei Chen
- Laboratory of Synthetic Microbiology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education of China, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Tao Sun
- Laboratory of Synthetic Microbiology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education of China, Tianjin, P.R. China
- Center for Biosafety Research and Strategy, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
| | - Weiwen Zhang
- Laboratory of Synthetic Microbiology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education of China, Tianjin, P.R. China
- Center for Biosafety Research and Strategy, Tianjin University, Tianjin, P.R. China
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3
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Morey K, Khakhar A. Exploring the frontier of rapid prototyping technologies for plant synthetic biology and what could lie beyond. New Phytol 2024; 242:903-908. [PMID: 38426415 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Realizing the full potential of plant synthetic biology both to elucidate the relationship between genotype and phenotype and to apply these insights to engineer traits requires rapidly iterating through design-build-test cycles. However, the months-long process of transgenesis, the long generation times, and the size-based limitations on experimentation have stymied progress by limiting the speed and scale of these cycles. Herein, we review a representative sample of recent studies that demonstrate a variety of rapid prototyping technologies that overcome some of these bottlenecks and accelerate progress. However, each of them has caveats that limit their broad utility. Their complementary strengths and weaknesses point to the intriguing possibility that these strategies could be combined in the future to enable rapid and scalable deployment of synthetic biology in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Morey
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80525, USA
| | - Arjun Khakhar
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80525, USA
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4
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Jiang D, Yang M, Chen K, Jiang W, Zhang L, Ji XJ, Jiang J, Lu L. Exploiting synthetic biology platforms for enhanced biosynthesis of natural products in Yarrowia lipolytica. Bioresour Technol 2024; 399:130614. [PMID: 38513925 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
With the rapid development of synthetic biology, researchers can design, modify, or even synthesize microorganisms de novo, and microorganisms endowed with unnatural functions can be considered "artificial life" and facilitate the development of functional products. Based on this concept, researchers can solve critical problems related to the insufficient supply of natural products, such as low yields, long production cycles, and cumbersome procedures. Due to its superior performance and unique physiological and biochemical characteristics, Yarrowia lipolytica is a favorable chassis cell used for green biomanufacturing by numerous researchers. This paper mainly reviews the development of synthetic biology techniques for Y. lipolytica and summarizes the recent research progress on the synthesis of natural products in Y. lipolytica. This review will promote the continued innovative development of Y. lipolytica by providing theoretical guidance for research on the biosynthesis of natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dahai Jiang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Academy of Advanced Carbon Conversion Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomass Low-Carbon Conversion, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China
| | - Manqi Yang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Academy of Advanced Carbon Conversion Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomass Low-Carbon Conversion, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Chen
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Academy of Advanced Carbon Conversion Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomass Low-Carbon Conversion, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenxuan Jiang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Academy of Advanced Carbon Conversion Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomass Low-Carbon Conversion, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China
| | - Liangliang Zhang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Academy of Advanced Carbon Conversion Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomass Low-Carbon Conversion, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Jun Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianchun Jiang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Academy of Advanced Carbon Conversion Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomass Low-Carbon Conversion, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, CAF, Nanjing 210042, People's Republic of China
| | - Liming Lu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Academy of Advanced Carbon Conversion Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomass Low-Carbon Conversion, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China.
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5
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Rothschild LJ, Averesch NJH, Strychalski EA, Moser F, Glass JI, Cruz Perez R, Yekinni IO, Rothschild-Mancinelli B, Roberts Kingman GA, Wu F, Waeterschoot J, Ioannou IA, Jewett MC, Liu AP, Noireaux V, Sorenson C, Adamala KP. Building Synthetic Cells─From the Technology Infrastructure to Cellular Entities. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:974-997. [PMID: 38530077 PMCID: PMC11037263 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
The de novo construction of a living organism is a compelling vision. Despite the astonishing technologies developed to modify living cells, building a functioning cell "from scratch" has yet to be accomplished. The pursuit of this goal alone has─and will─yield scientific insights affecting fields as diverse as cell biology, biotechnology, medicine, and astrobiology. Multiple approaches have aimed to create biochemical systems manifesting common characteristics of life, such as compartmentalization, metabolism, and replication and the derived features, evolution, responsiveness to stimuli, and directed movement. Significant achievements in synthesizing each of these criteria have been made, individually and in limited combinations. Here, we review these efforts, distinguish different approaches, and highlight bottlenecks in the current research. We look ahead at what work remains to be accomplished and propose a "roadmap" with key milestones to achieve the vision of building cells from molecular parts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn J. Rothschild
- Space Science
& Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research
Center, Moffett
Field, California 94035-1000, United States
- Department
of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912, United States
| | - Nils J. H. Averesch
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | | | - Felix Moser
- Synlife, One Kendall Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139-1661, United States
| | - John I. Glass
- J.
Craig
Venter Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Rolando Cruz Perez
- Department
of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Blue
Marble
Space Institute of Science at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035-1000, United
States
| | - Ibrahim O. Yekinni
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, University of
Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Brooke Rothschild-Mancinelli
- School
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute
of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0150, United States
| | | | - Feilun Wu
- J. Craig
Venter Institute, Rockville, Maryland 20850, United States
| | - Jorik Waeterschoot
- Mechatronics,
Biostatistics and Sensors (MeBioS), KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven Belgium
| | - Ion A. Ioannou
- Department
of Chemistry, MSRH, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Michael C. Jewett
- Department
of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Allen P. Liu
- Mechanical
Engineering & Biomedical Engineering, Cellular and Molecular Biology,
Biophysics, Applied Physics, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Vincent Noireaux
- Physics
and Nanotechnology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Carlise Sorenson
- Department
of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Katarzyna P. Adamala
- Department
of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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6
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Tan W, Miao Q, Jia X, Liu Y, Li S, Yang D. Research Progress on the Assembly of Large DNA Fragments. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400054. [PMID: 38477700 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic biology, a newly and rapidly developing interdisciplinary field, has demonstrated increasing potential for extensive applications in the wide areas of biomedicine, biofuels, and novel materials. DNA assembly is a key enabling technology of synthetic biology and a central point for realizing fully synthetic artificial life. While the assembly of small DNA fragments has been successfully commercialized, the assembly of large DNA fragments remains a challenge due to their high molecular weight and susceptibility to breakage. This article provides an overview of the development and current state of DNA assembly technology, with a focus on recent advancements in the assembly of large DNA fragments in Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In particular, the methods and challenges associated with the assembly of large DNA fragment in different hosts are highlighted. The advancements in DNA assembly have the potential to facilitate the construction of customized genomes, giving us the ability to modify cellular functions and even create artificial life. It is also contributing to our ability to understand, predict, and manipulate living organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Tan
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, P. R. China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315201, P. R. China
| | - Qing Miao
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315201, P. R. China
| | - Xuemei Jia
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315201, P. R. China
| | - Ying Liu
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315201, P. R. China
| | - Shuai Li
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, P. R. China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315201, P. R. China
| | - Dayong Yang
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, P. R. China
- Zhejiang Institute of Tianjin University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315201, P. R. China
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7
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Guo Y, Chen X, Gong P, Long H, Wang J, Yang W, Yao W. Siraitia grosvenorii As a Homologue of Food and Medicine: A Review of Biological Activity, Mechanisms of Action, Synthetic Biology, and Applications in Future Food. J Agric Food Chem 2024; 72:6850-6870. [PMID: 38513114 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c00018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Siraitia grosvenorii (SG), also known as Luo Han Guo or Monk fruit, boasts a significant history in food and medicine. This review delves into SG's historical role and varied applications in traditional Chinese culture, examining its phytochemical composition and the health benefits of its bioactive compounds. It further explores SG's biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic properties and elucidates the mechanisms behind these effects. The review also highlights recent synthetic biology advances in enhancing the production of SG's bioactive compounds, presenting new opportunities for broadening their availability. Ultimately, this review emphasizes SG's value in food and medicine, showcasing its historical and cultural importance, phytochemistry, biological functions, action mechanisms, and the role of synthetic biology in its sustainable use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxi Guo
- School of Food science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710021, China
| | - Xuefeng Chen
- School of Food science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710021, China
| | - Pin Gong
- School of Food science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710021, China
| | - Hui Long
- School of Food science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710021, China
| | - Jiating Wang
- School of Food science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710021, China
| | - Wenjuan Yang
- School of Food science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710021, China
| | - Wenbo Yao
- School of Food science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710021, China
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8
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Liu H, Song P, Zhang H, Zhou F, Ji N, Wang M, Zhou G, Han R, Liu X, Weng W, Tan H, Wang S, Zheng L, Jing Y, Su J. Synthetic biology-based bacterial extracellular vesicles displaying BMP-2 and CXCR4 to ameliorate osteoporosis. J Extracell Vesicles 2024; 13:e12429. [PMID: 38576241 PMCID: PMC10995478 DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Osteoporosis (OP) is a systematic bone disease characterized by low bone mass and fragile bone microarchitecture. Conventional treatment for OP has limited efficacy and long-term toxicity. Synthetic biology makes bacterial extracellular vesicle (BEVs)-based therapeutic strategies a promising alternative for the treatment of OP. Here, we constructed a recombinant probiotics Escherichia coli Nissle 1917-pET28a-ClyA-BMP-2-CXCR4 (ECN-pClyA-BMP-2-CXCR4), in which BMP-2 and CXCR4 were overexpressed in fusion with BEVs surface protein ClyA. Subsequently, we isolated engineered BEVs-BMP-2-CXCR4 (BEVs-BC) for OP therapy. The engineered BEVs-BC exhibited great bone targeting in vivo. In addition, BEVs-BC had good biocompatibility and remarkable ability to promote osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. Finally, the synthetic biology-based BEVs-BC significantly prevented the OP in an ovariectomized (OVX) mouse model. In conclusion, we constructed BEVs-BC with both bone-targeting and bone-forming in one-step using synthetic biology, which provides an effective strategy for OP and has great potential for industrialization.
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9
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Villanueva MT. Engineered T cells call for back-up. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2024; 23:252. [PMID: 38580750 DOI: 10.1038/d41573-024-00052-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
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10
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Lou Y, Tang X, Liao L, Deng Z, Gao J. Biosafety and biosecurity: treading China's synbio tightrope. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:389-392. [PMID: 37957090 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Our second piece dissects China's intricate balancing act in synthetic biology (synbio), analyzing its adept maneuvering between fostering innovation and imposing strict regulations. The priority is enhancing biosecurity, biosafety, and public trust, crucial for sustainable gene editing advancements and preventing potential misuse of synthetic viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Lou
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xianming Tang
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Lijuan Liao
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zixin Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Laboratory on Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jiangtao Gao
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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11
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Ulanova A, Mansfeldt C. EcoGenoRisk: Developing a computational ecological risk assessment tool for synthetic biology. Environ Pollut 2024; 346:123647. [PMID: 38402941 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The expanding field of synthetic biology (synbio) supports new opportunities in the design of targeted bioproducts or modified microorganisms. However, this rapid development of synbio products raises concerns surrounding the potential risks of modified microorganisms contaminating unintended environments. These potential invasion risks require new bioinformatic tools to inform the design phase. EcoGenoRisk is a newly constructed computational risk assessment tool for invasiveness that aims to predict where synbio microorganisms may establish a population by screening for habitats of genetically similar microorganisms. The first module of the tool identifies genetically similar microorganisms and potential ecological relationships such as competition, mutualism, and inhibition. In total, 520 archaeal and 32,828 bacterial complete assembly genomes were analyzed to test the specificity and accuracy of the tool as well as to characterize the enzymatic profiles of different taxonomic lineages. Additionally, ecological relationships were analyzed to determine which would result in the greatest potential overlap between shared functional profiles. Notably, competition displayed the significantly highest overlap of shared functions between compared genomes. Overall, EcoGenoRisk is a flexible software pipeline that assists environmental risk assessors to query large databases of known microorganisms and prioritize follow-up bench scale studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ulanova
- University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, 1111 Engineering Drive, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA; University of Colorado Boulder, Environmental Engineering Program, 4001 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
| | - Cresten Mansfeldt
- University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, 1111 Engineering Drive, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA; University of Colorado Boulder, Environmental Engineering Program, 4001 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA.
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12
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Cook GD, Stasulli NM. Employing synthetic biology to expand antibiotic discovery. SLAS Technol 2024; 29:100120. [PMID: 38340893 DOI: 10.1016/j.slast.2024.100120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacterial pathogens are a continually growing threat as our methods for combating these infections continue to be overcome by the evolution of resistance mechanisms. Recent therapeutic methods have not staved off the concern of AMR infections, so continued research focuses on new ways of identifying small molecules to treat AMR pathogens. While chemical modification of existing antibiotics is possible, there has been rapid development of resistance by pathogens that were initially susceptible to these compounds. Synthetic biology is becoming a key strategy in trying to predict and induce novel, natural antibiotics. Advances in cloning and mutagenesis techniques applied through a synthetic biology lens can help characterize the native regulation of antibiotic biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) to identify potential modifications leading to more potent antibiotic activity. Additionally, many cryptic antibiotic BGCs are derived from non-ribosomal peptide synthase (NRPS) and polyketide synthase (PKS) biosynthetic pathways; complex, clustered genetic sequences that give rise to amino acid-derived natural products. Synthetic biology can be applied to modify and metabolically engineer these enzyme-based systems to promote rapid and sustainable production of natural products and their variants. This review will focus on recent advances related to synthetic biology as applied to genetic pathway characterization and identification of antibiotics from naturally occurring BGCs. Specifically, we will summarize recent efforts to characterize BGCs via general genomic mutagenesis, endogenous gene expression, and heterologous gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta D Cook
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, University of New Haven, 300 Boston Post Rd, Dodds Hall 316, West Haven 06516 USA
| | - Nikolas M Stasulli
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, University of New Haven, 300 Boston Post Rd, Dodds Hall 316, West Haven 06516 USA.
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13
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Bhatt B, García-Díaz P, Foight GW. Synthetic transcription factor engineering for cell and gene therapy. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:449-463. [PMID: 37865540 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic transcription factors (synTFs) that control beneficial transgene expression are an important method to increase the safety and efficacy of cell and gene therapy. Reliance on synTF components from non-human sources has slowed progress in the field because of concerns about immunogenicity and inducer drug properties. Recent advances in human-derived DNA-binding domains (DBDs) and transcriptional activation domains (TADs) paired with novel control modules responsive to clinically approved small molecules have poised the synTF field to overcome these hurdles. Advances include controllers inducible by autonomous signaling inputs and more complex, multi-input synTF circuits. Demonstrations of advanced control strategies with human-derived transcription factor components in clinically relevant vectors and in vivo models will facilitate progression into the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhoomi Bhatt
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston Methodist Hospital, and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Pablo García-Díaz
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston Methodist Hospital, and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Glenna Wink Foight
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston Methodist Hospital, and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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14
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Mohsenin H, Wagner HJ, Rosenblatt M, Kemmer S, Drepper F, Huesgen P, Timmer J, Weber W. Design of a Biohybrid Materials Circuit with Binary Decoder Functionality. Adv Mater 2024; 36:e2308092. [PMID: 38118057 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202308092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic biology applies concepts from electrical engineering and information processing to endow cells with computational functionality. Transferring the underlying molecular components into materials and wiring them according to topologies inspired by electronic circuit boards has yielded materials systems that perform selected computational operations. However, the limited functionality of available building blocks is restricting the implementation of advanced information-processing circuits into materials. Here, a set of protease-based biohybrid modules the bioactivity of which can either be induced or inhibited is engineered. Guided by a quantitative mathematical model and following a design-build-test-learn (DBTL) cycle, the modules are wired according to circuit topologies inspired by electronic signal decoders, a fundamental motif in information processing. A 2-input/4-output binary decoder for the detection of two small molecules in a material framework that can perform regulated outputs in form of distinct protease activities is designed. The here demonstrated smart material system is strongly modular and can be used for biomolecular information processing for example in advanced biosensing or drug delivery applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasti Mohsenin
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 18, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Hanna J Wagner
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 18, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 19a, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Marcus Rosenblatt
- Institute of Physics and Freiburg Center for Data Analysis and Modelling (FDM), University of Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Straße 3, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Svenja Kemmer
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Institute of Physics and Freiburg Center for Data Analysis and Modelling (FDM), University of Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Straße 3, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Friedel Drepper
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Pitter Huesgen
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 18, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jens Timmer
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 18, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Institute of Physics and Freiburg Center for Data Analysis and Modelling (FDM), University of Freiburg, Hermann-Herder-Straße 3, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wilfried Weber
- Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 18, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Campus D2 2, 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestraße 1, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 19a, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Saarland University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Campus D2 2, 66123, Saarbrücken, Germany
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15
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Morgan MF, Diab J, Gilliham M, Mortimer JC. Green horizons: how plant synthetic biology can enable space exploration and drive on Earth sustainability. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 86:103069. [PMID: 38341984 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
As humanity looks towards expanding activity from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond, resource use efficiency and self-sustainability will be critical to ensuring success in the long term. Furthermore, solutions developed for the stringent requirements of space will be equally valuable in meeting sustainability goals here on Earth. Advances in synthetic biology allow us to harness the complex metabolism of life to produce the materials we need in situ. Translating those lessons learned from microbial systems to more carbon-efficient photosynthetic organisms is an area of growing interest. Plants can be engineered to sustainably meet a range of needs, from fuels to materials and medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Fox Morgan
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine & Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellent in Plants for Space, Australia
| | - Jonathan Diab
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine & Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellent in Plants for Space, Australia
| | - Matthew Gilliham
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine & Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellent in Plants for Space, Australia.
| | - Jenny C Mortimer
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine & Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellent in Plants for Space, Australia; Joint BioEnergy Institute, CA, USA.
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16
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Fasciano S, Wang S. Recent advances of droplet-based microfluidics for engineering artificial cells. SLAS Technol 2024; 29:100090. [PMID: 37245659 DOI: 10.1016/j.slast.2023.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Artificial cells, synthetic cells, or minimal cells are microengineered cell-like structures that mimic the biological functions of cells. Artificial cells are typically biological or polymeric membranes where biologically active components, including proteins, genes, and enzymes, are encapsulated. The goal of engineering artificial cells is to build a living cell with the least amount of parts and complexity. Artificial cells hold great potential for several applications, including membrane protein interactions, gene expression, biomaterials, and drug development. It is critical to generate robust, stable artificial cells using high throughput, easy-to-control, and flexible techniques. Recently, droplet-based microfluidic techniques have shown great potential for the synthesis of vesicles and artificial cells. Here, we summarized the recent advances in droplet-based microfluidic techniques for the fabrication of vesicles and artificial cells. We first reviewed the different types of droplet-based microfluidic devices, including flow-focusing, T-junction, and coflowing. Next, we discussed the formation of multi-compartmental vesicles and artificial cells based on droplet-based microfluidics. The applications of artificial cells for studying gene expression dynamics, artificial cell-cell communications, and mechanobiology are highlighted and discussed. Finally, the current challenges and future outlook of droplet-based microfluidic methods for engineering artificial cells are discussed. This review will provide insights into scientific research in synthetic biology, microfluidic devices, membrane interactions, and mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Fasciano
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Shue Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT, USA.
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17
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Santos‐Beneit F. What is the role of microbial biotechnology and genetic engineering in medicine? Microbiologyopen 2024; 13:e1406. [PMID: 38556942 PMCID: PMC10982607 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Microbial products are essential for developing various therapeutic agents, including antibiotics, anticancer drugs, vaccines, and therapeutic enzymes. Genetic engineering techniques, functional genomics, and synthetic biology unlock previously uncharacterized natural products. This review highlights major advances in microbial biotechnology, focusing on gene-based technologies for medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Santos‐Beneit
- Institute of Sustainable ProcessesValladolidSpain
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial EngineeringUniversity of ValladolidValladolidSpain
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18
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Zhu R, Zhang J, Wang L, Zhang Y, Zhao Y, Han Y, Sun J, Zhang X, Dou Y, Yao H, Yan W, Luo X, Dai J, Dai Z. Engineering functional materials through bacteria-assisted living grafting. Cell Syst 2024; 15:264-274.e9. [PMID: 38460522 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2024.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Functionalizing materials with biomacromolecules such as enzymes has broad applications in biotechnology and biomedicine. Here, we introduce a grafting method mediated by living cells to functionalize materials. We use polymeric scaffolds to trap engineered bacteria and micron-sized particles with chemical groups serving as active sites for grafting. The bacteria synthesize the desired protein for grafting and autonomously lyse to release it. The released functional moieties are locally grafted onto the active sites, generating the materials engineered by living grafting (MELGs). MELGs are resilient to perturbations because of both the bonding and the regeneration of functional domains synthesized by living cells. The programmability of the bacteria enables us to fabricate MELGs that can respond to external input, decompose a pollutant, reconstitute synthetic pathways for natural product synthesis, and purify mismatched DNA. Our work establishes a bacteria-assisted grafting strategy to functionalize materials with a broad range of biological activities in an integrated, flexible, and modular manner. A record of this paper's transparent peer review process is included in the supplemental information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runtao Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jiao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Lin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yunfeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- Soft Bio-interface Electronics Lab, Center of Neural Engineering, CAS Key Laboratory of Human-Machine Intelligence-Synergy Systems, Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ying Han
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Soft Bio-interface Electronics Lab, Center of Neural Engineering, CAS Key Laboratory of Human-Machine Intelligence-Synergy Systems, Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ying Dou
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Huaxiong Yao
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Wei Yan
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiaozhou Luo
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Junbiao Dai
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhuojun Dai
- Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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19
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Dogterom M, Kamat NP, Jewett MC, Adamala KP. Progress in Engineering Synthetic Cells and Cell-Free Systems. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:695-696. [PMID: 38430125 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Marileen Dogterom
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2628 CJ, The Netherlands
| | - Neha P Kamat
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center of Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Northwestern, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Michael C Jewett
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Katarzyna P Adamala
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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20
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Buson F, Gao Y, Wang B. Genetic Parts and Enabling Tools for Biocircuit Design. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:697-713. [PMID: 38427821 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic biology aims to engineer biological systems for customized tasks through the bottom-up assembly of fundamental building blocks, which requires high-quality libraries of reliable, modular, and standardized genetic parts. To establish sets of parts that work well together, synthetic biologists created standardized part libraries in which every component is analyzed in the same metrics and context. Here we present a state-of-the-art review of the currently available part libraries for designing biocircuits and their gene expression regulation paradigms at transcriptional, translational, and post-translational levels in Escherichia coli. We discuss the necessary facets to integrate these parts into complex devices and systems along with the current efforts to catalogue and standardize measurement data. To better display the range of available parts and to facilitate part selection in synthetic biology workflows, we established biopartsDB, a curated database of well-characterized and useful genetic part and device libraries with detailed quantitative data validated by the published literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Buson
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering & ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, U.K
| | - Yuanli Gao
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering & ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, U.K
| | - Baojun Wang
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering & ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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21
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Shkarina K, Broz P. Selective induction of programmed cell death using synthetic biology tools. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 156:74-92. [PMID: 37598045 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Regulated cell death (RCD) controls the removal of dispensable, infected or malignant cells, and is thus essential for development, homeostasis and immunity of multicellular organisms. Over the last years different forms of RCD have been described (among them apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis and ferroptosis), and the cellular signaling pathways that control their induction and execution have been characterized at the molecular level. It has also become apparent that different forms of RCD differ in their capacity to elicit inflammation or an immune response, and that RCD pathways show a remarkable plasticity. Biochemical and genetic studies revealed that inhibition of a given pathway often results in the activation of back-up cell death mechanisms, highlighting close interconnectivity based on shared signaling components and the assembly of multivalent signaling platforms that can initiate different forms of RCD. Due to this interconnectivity and the pleiotropic effects of 'classical' cell death inducers, it is challenging to study RCD pathways in isolation. This has led to the development of tools based on synthetic biology that allow the targeted induction of RCD using chemogenetic or optogenetic methods. Here we discuss recent advances in the development of such toolset, highlighting their advantages and limitations, and their application for the study of RCD in cells and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kateryna Shkarina
- Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
| | - Petr Broz
- Department of Immunobiology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
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22
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Mansouri M, Fussenegger M. Small-Molecule Regulators for Gene Switches to Program Mammalian Cell Behaviour. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202300717. [PMID: 38081780 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic or natural small molecules have been extensively employed as trigger signals or inducers to regulate engineered gene circuits introduced into living cells in order to obtain desired outputs in a controlled and predictable manner. Here, we provide an overview of small molecules used to drive synthetic-biology-based gene circuits in mammalian cells, together with examples of applications at different levels of control, including regulation of DNA manipulation, RNA synthesis and editing, and protein synthesis, maturation, and trafficking. We also discuss the therapeutic potential of these small-molecule-responsive gene circuits, focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of using small molecules as triggers, the mechanisms involved, and the requirements for selecting suitable molecules, including efficiency, specificity, orthogonality, and safety. Finally, we explore potential future directions for translation of these devices to clinical medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maysam Mansouri
- ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Klingelbergstrasse 48, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martin Fussenegger
- ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Klingelbergstrasse 48, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Faculty of Science, Klingelbergstrasse 48, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland
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23
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Choe D, Olson CA, Szubin R, Yang H, Sung J, Feist AM, Palsson BO. Advancing the scale of synthetic biology via cross-species transfer of cellular functions enabled by iModulon engraftment. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2356. [PMID: 38490991 PMCID: PMC10943186 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46486-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Machine learning applied to large compendia of transcriptomic data has enabled the decomposition of bacterial transcriptomes to identify independently modulated sets of genes, such iModulons represent specific cellular functions. The identification of iModulons enables accurate identification of genes necessary and sufficient for cross-species transfer of cellular functions. We demonstrate cross-species transfer of: 1) the biotransformation of vanillate to protocatechuate, 2) a malonate catabolic pathway, 3) a catabolic pathway for 2,3-butanediol, and 4) an antimicrobial resistance to ampicillin found in multiple Pseudomonas species to Escherichia coli. iModulon-based engineering is a transformative strategy as it includes all genes comprising the transferred cellular function, including genes without functional annotation. Adaptive laboratory evolution was deployed to optimize the cellular function transferred, revealing mutations in the host. Combining big data analytics and laboratory evolution thus enhances the level of understanding of systems biology, and synthetic biology for strain design and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghui Choe
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Connor A Olson
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Richard Szubin
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Hannah Yang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jaemin Sung
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Adam M Feist
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bernhard O Palsson
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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24
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Lefèvre-Morand RYL, Nikel PI, Acevedo-Rocha CG. How many Mutations are needed to Evolve the Chemical Makeup of a Synthetic Cell? Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202300829. [PMID: 38226957 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
The chemical evolution of a synthetic cell endowed with a synthetic amino acid as building block, analog to tryptophan, required the emergence of key mutations in genes involved in, inter alia, the general stress response, amino acid metabolism, stringent response, and chemotaxis. Understanding adaptation mechanisms to non-canonical biomass components will inform strategies for engineering synthetic metabolic pathways and cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigue Yves Louis Lefèvre-Morand
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet 220, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Pablo Iván Nikel
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet 220, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Carlos G Acevedo-Rocha
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet 220, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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25
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Su Z, Guo B, Xu H, Yuan Z, Liu H, Guo T, Deng Z, Zhang Y, Yin D, Liu C, Chen JH, Rao Y. Synthetic Biology-based Construction of Unnatural Perylenequinones with Improved Photodynamic Anticancer Activities. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202317726. [PMID: 38258338 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202317726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The construction of structural complexity and diversity of natural products is crucial for drug discovery and development. To overcome high dark toxicity and poor photostability of natural photosensitizer perylenequinones (PQs) for photodynamic therapy, herein, we aim to introduce the structural complexity and diversity to biosynthesize the desired unnatural PQs in fungus Cercospora through synthetic biology-based strategy. Thus, we first elucidate the intricate biosynthetic pathways of class B PQs and reveal how the branching enzymes create their structural complexity and diversity from a common ancestor. This enables the rational reprogramming of cercosporin biosynthetic pathway in Cercospora to generate diverse unnatural PQs without chemical modification. Among them, unnatural cercosporin A displays remarkably low dark toxicity and high photostability with retention of great photodynamic anticancer and antimicrobial activities. Moreover, it is found that, unlike cercosporin, unnatural cercosporin A could be selectively accumulated in cancer cells, providing potential targets for drug development. Therefore, this work provides a comprehensive foundation for preparing unnatural products with customized functions through synthetic biology-based strategies, thus facilitating drug discovery pipelines from nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengping Su
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, P. R. China
| | - Baodang Guo
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, P. R. China
| | - Huibin Xu
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, P. R. China
| | - Zhenbo Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, P. R. China
| | - Huiling Liu
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, P. R. China
| | - Tao Guo
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, P. R. China
| | - Zhiwei Deng
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, P. R. China
| | - Yan Zhang
- School of Life Sciences and Health Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, P. R. China
| | - Dejing Yin
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, P. R. China
| | - Changmei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, P. R. China
| | - Jian-Huan Chen
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, P. R. China
| | - Yijian Rao
- Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, P. R. China
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26
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Ipoutcha T, Racharaks R, Huttelmaier S, Wilson CJ, Ozer EA, Hartmann EM. A synthetic biology approach to assemble and reboot clinically relevant Pseudomonas aeruginosa tailed phages. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0289723. [PMID: 38294230 PMCID: PMC10913387 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02897-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The rise in the frequency of antibiotic resistance has made bacterial infections, specifically Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a cause for greater concern. Phage therapy is a promising solution that uses naturally isolated phages to treat bacterial infections. Ecological limitations, which stipulate a discrete host range and the inevitable evolution of resistance, may be overcome through a better understanding of phage biology and the utilization of engineered phages. In this study, we developed a synthetic biology approach to construct tailed phages that naturally target clinically relevant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. As proof of concept, we successfully cloned and assembled the JG024 and DMS3 phage genomes in yeast using transformation-associated recombination cloning and rebooted these two phage genomes in two different strains of P. aeruginosa. We identified factors that affected phage reboot efficiency like the phage species or the presence of antiviral defense systems in the bacterial strain. We have successfully extended this method to two other phage species and observed that the method enables the reboot of phages that are naturally unable to infect the strain used for reboot. This research represents a critical step toward the construction of clinically relevant, engineered P. aeruginosa phages.IMPORTANCEPseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterium responsible for severe infections and a common major complication in cystic fibrosis. The use of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections has become increasingly difficult as antibiotic resistance has become more prevalent. Phage therapy is an alternative solution that is already being used in some European countries, but its use is limited by the narrow host range due to the phage receptor specificity, the presence of antiviral defense systems in the bacterial strain, and the possible emergence of phage resistance. In this study, we demonstrate the use of a synthetic biology approach to construct and reboot clinically relevant P. aeruginosa tailed phages. This method enables a significant expansion of possibilities through the construction of engineered phages for therapy applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Ipoutcha
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Ratanachat Racharaks
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Stefanie Huttelmaier
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Cole J. Wilson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Egon A. Ozer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Erica M. Hartmann
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
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27
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Lu C, Wijffels RH, Martins Dos Santos VAP, Weusthuis RA. Pseudomonas putida as a platform for medium-chain length α,ω-diol production: Opportunities and challenges. Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14423. [PMID: 38528784 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Medium-chain-length α,ω-diols (mcl-diols) play an important role in polymer production, traditionally depending on energy-intensive chemical processes. Microbial cell factories offer an alternative, but conventional strains like Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae face challenges in mcl-diol production due to the toxicity of intermediates such as alcohols and acids. Metabolic engineering and synthetic biology enable the engineering of non-model strains for such purposes with P. putida emerging as a promising microbial platform. This study reviews the advancement in diol production using P. putida and proposes a four-module approach for the sustainable production of diols. Despite progress, challenges persist, and this study discusses current obstacles and future opportunities for leveraging P. putida as a microbial cell factory for mcl-diol production. Furthermore, this study highlights the potential of using P. putida as an efficient chassis for diol synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunzhe Lu
- Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences & Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rene H Wijffels
- Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Bodø, Norway
| | - Vitor A P Martins Dos Santos
- Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Lifeglimmer GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ruud A Weusthuis
- Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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28
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Zwart H. The bioethics of synthetic cells. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024; 25:157-158. [PMID: 38081974 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00693-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Hub Zwart
- Erasmus School of Philosophy, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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29
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Liao L, Lou Y, Tang X, Deng Z, Gao J. Intellectual property and funding: fueling Chinese synbio. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:258-260. [PMID: 37980185 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
As China emerges as a synthetic biology (synbio) global leader, it faces distinct science-society challenges. Our series offers a snapshot of China's synbio state, emphasizing the intersection and its policy implications. The debut piece elucidates the intellectual property rights (IPR)-funding interplay in China's expanding synbio territory, underlining its key role in driving innovation and commercialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Liao
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yi Lou
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xianming Tang
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zixin Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Laboratory on Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jiangtao Gao
- Key Laboratory of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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30
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Peng H, Darlington APS, South EJ, Chen HH, Jiang W, Ledesma-Amaro R. A molecular toolkit of cross-feeding strains for engineering synthetic yeast communities. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:848-863. [PMID: 38326570 PMCID: PMC10914607 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01596-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Engineered microbial consortia often have enhanced system performance and robustness compared with single-strain biomanufacturing production platforms. However, few tools are available for generating co-cultures of the model and key industrial host Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we engineer auxotrophic and overexpression yeast strains that can be used to create co-cultures through exchange of essential metabolites. Using these strains as modules, we engineered two- and three-member consortia using different cross-feeding architectures. Through a combination of ensemble modelling and experimentation, we explored how cellular (for example, metabolite production strength) and environmental (for example, initial population ratio, population density and extracellular supplementation) factors govern population dynamics in these systems. We tested the use of the toolkit in a division of labour biomanufacturing case study and show that it enables enhanced and tuneable antioxidant resveratrol production. We expect this toolkit to become a useful resource for a variety of applications in synthetic ecology and biomanufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huadong Peng
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Alexander P S Darlington
- Warwick Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre, School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Eric J South
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hao-Hong Chen
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK
- School of Food Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London, UK.
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31
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Halužan Vasle A, Moškon M. Synthetic biological neural networks: From current implementations to future perspectives. Biosystems 2024; 237:105164. [PMID: 38402944 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2024.105164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Artificial neural networks, inspired by the biological networks of the human brain, have become game-changing computing models in modern computer science. Inspired by their wide scope of applications, synthetic biology strives to create their biological counterparts, which we denote synthetic biological neural networks (SYNBIONNs). Their use in the fields of medicine, biosensors, biotechnology, and many more shows great potential and presents exciting possibilities. So far, many different synthetic biological networks have been successfully constructed, however, SYNBIONN implementations have been sparse. The latter are mostly based on neural networks pretrained in silico and being heavily dependent on extensive human input. In this paper, we review current implementations and models of SYNBIONNs. We briefly present the biological platforms that show potential for designing and constructing perceptrons and/or multilayer SYNBIONNs. We explore their future possibilities along with the challenges that must be overcome to successfully implement a scalable in vivo biological neural network capable of online learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Halužan Vasle
- Faculty of Computer and Information Science, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Miha Moškon
- Faculty of Computer and Information Science, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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32
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Transitions in development - an interview with Nika Shakiba. Development 2024; 151:dev202748. [PMID: 38421607 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Nika Shakiba is a group leader at the University of British Columbia, Canada, where she applies synthetic biology techniques to explore the basis of stem cell competition. We met with Nika over Zoom to discuss her career path so far. She explained how her engineering background led her to approach stem cells as programmable units and helped establish her research niche. We also discussed her passion for mentorship, both within and beyond her lab.
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33
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Sumi S, Hamada M, Saito H. Deep generative design of RNA family sequences. Nat Methods 2024; 21:435-443. [PMID: 38238559 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-02148-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
RNA engineering has immense potential to drive innovation in biotechnology and medicine. Despite its importance, a versatile platform for the automated design of functional RNA is still lacking. Here, we propose RNA family sequence generator (RfamGen), a deep generative model that designs RNA family sequences in a data-efficient manner by explicitly incorporating alignment and consensus secondary structure information. RfamGen can generate novel and functional RNA family sequences by sampling points from a semantically rich and continuous representation. We have experimentally demonstrated the versatility of RfamGen using diverse RNA families. Furthermore, we confirmed the high success rate of RfamGen in designing functional ribozymes through a quantitative massively parallel assay. Notably, RfamGen successfully generates artificial sequences with higher activity than natural sequences. Overall, RfamGen significantly improves our ability to design functional RNA and opens up new potential for generative RNA engineering in synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunsuke Sumi
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Michiaki Hamada
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.
- Computational Bio Big-Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan.
- Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Hirohide Saito
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
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34
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Petersen SD, Levassor L, Pedersen CM, Madsen J, Hansen LG, Zhang J, Haidar AK, Frandsen RJN, Keasling JD, Weber T, Sonnenschein N, K. Jensen M. teemi: An open-source literate programming approach for iterative design-build-test-learn cycles in bioengineering. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1011929. [PMID: 38457467 PMCID: PMC10954146 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology dictates the data-driven engineering of biocatalysis, cellular functions, and organism behavior. Integral to synthetic biology is the aspiration to efficiently find, access, interoperate, and reuse high-quality data on genotype-phenotype relationships of native and engineered biosystems under FAIR principles, and from this facilitate forward-engineering strategies. However, biology is complex at the regulatory level, and noisy at the operational level, thus necessitating systematic and diligent data handling at all levels of the design, build, and test phases in order to maximize learning in the iterative design-build-test-learn engineering cycle. To enable user-friendly simulation, organization, and guidance for the engineering of biosystems, we have developed an open-source python-based computer-aided design and analysis platform operating under a literate programming user-interface hosted on Github. The platform is called teemi and is fully compliant with FAIR principles. In this study we apply teemi for i) designing and simulating bioengineering, ii) integrating and analyzing multivariate datasets, and iii) machine-learning for predictive engineering of metabolic pathway designs for production of a key precursor to medicinal alkaloids in yeast. The teemi platform is publicly available at PyPi and GitHub.
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Affiliation(s)
- Søren D. Petersen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lucas Levassor
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Christine M. Pedersen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Jan Madsen
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lea G. Hansen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Jie Zhang
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ahmad K. Haidar
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Rasmus J. N. Frandsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Jay D. Keasling
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, California, United States of America
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, Institute for Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technologies, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tilmann Weber
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Nikolaus Sonnenschein
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Michael K. Jensen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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35
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Adamala KP, Dogterom M, Elani Y, Schwille P, Takinoue M, Tang TYD. Present and future of synthetic cell development. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024; 25:162-167. [PMID: 38102450 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00686-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna P Adamala
- Department of Genetics, Cellular Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Marileen Dogterom
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.
| | - Yuval Elani
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- FabriCELL, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London, UK.
| | - Petra Schwille
- Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany.
| | - Masahiro Takinoue
- Department of Computer Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan.
- Living Systems Materialogy (LiSM) Research Group, International Research Frontiers Initiative, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan.
| | - T-Y Dora Tang
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology & Genetics, Dresden, Germany.
- Synthetic Biology, Department of Biology, University of Saarland, Saarbrucken, Germany.
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36
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Parvin T, Sadras SR. Advanced probiotics: bioengineering and their therapeutic application. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:361. [PMID: 38403783 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09309-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The role of gut bacteria in human health has long been acknowledged and dysbiosis of the gut microbiota has been correlated with a variety of disorders. Synthetic biology has rapidly grown over the past few years offering a variety of biological applications such as harnessing the relationship between bacteria and human health. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are thought to be appropriate chassis organisms for genetic modification with potential biomedical applications. A thorough understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind their beneficial qualities is essential to assist the multifunctional medicinal sectors. Effective genome editing will aid in the creation of next-generation designer probiotics with enhanced resilience and specialized capabilities, furthering our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms behind the physiological impacts of probiotics and their interactions with the host and microbiota. The goal of this review is to provide a brief overview of the methods used to create modified probiotics with the scientific rationale behind gene editing technology, the mechanism of action of engineered probiotics along with their application to treat conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, bacterial infections, and various metabolic diseases. In addition, application concerns and future directions are also presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamanna Parvin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Science, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India.
| | - Sudha Rani Sadras
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Science, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India
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37
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García Martín H, Mazurenko S, Zhao H. Special Issue on Artificial Intelligence for Synthetic Biology. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:408-410. [PMID: 38214972 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Hector García Martín
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- BCAM - Basque Center for Applied Mathematics, Bilbao 48009, Spain
- DOE Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
- DOE Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - Stanislav Mazurenko
- Loschmidt Laboratories, Department of Experimental Biology and RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
- International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno, Pekarska 53, 656 91 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Huimin Zhao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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38
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Giri-Rachman EA, Effendy VV, Azmi MHS, Yamahoki N, Stephanie R, Agustiyanti DF, Wisnuwardhani PH, Angelina M, Rubiyana Y, Aditama R, Ningrum RA, Wardiana A, Fibriani A. The SARS-CoV-2 M pro Dimer-Based Screening System: A Synthetic Biology Tool for Identifying Compounds with Dimerization Inhibitory Potential. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:509-520. [PMID: 38316139 PMCID: PMC10877612 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 endemic remains a global concern. The search for effective antiviral candidates is still needed to reduce disease risk. However, the availability of high biosafety level laboratory facilities for drug screening is limited in number. To address this issue, a screening system that could be utilized at lower biosafety levels remains essential. This study aimed to develop a novel SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) dimer-based screening system (DBSS) utilizing synthetic biology in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). We linked the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro with the DNA-binding domain of AraC regulatory protein, which regulates the reporter gene expression. Protein modeling and molecular docking showed that saquinavir could bind to AraC-Mpro both in its monomer and dimer forms. The constructed DBSS assay indicated the screening system could detect saquinavir inhibitory activity at a concentration range of 4-10 μg/mL compared to the untreated control (P ≤ 0.05). The Vero E6 cell assay validated the DBSS result that saquinavir at 4-10 μg/mL exhibited antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. Our DBSS could be used for preliminary screening of numerous drug candidates that possess a dimerization inhibitor activity of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and also minimize the use of a high biosafety level laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vergio V. Effendy
- School
of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut
Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Muhammad H. S. Azmi
- School
of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut
Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Nicholas Yamahoki
- School
of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut
Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Rebecca Stephanie
- School
of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut
Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Dian F. Agustiyanti
- Research
Center for Genetic Engineering, Indonesian
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong 16911, Indonesia
| | - Popi H. Wisnuwardhani
- Research
Center for Genetic Engineering, Indonesian
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong 16911, Indonesia
| | - Marissa Angelina
- Research
Center for Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Traditional Medicine, Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency
(BRIN), Serpong 15314, Indonesia
| | - Yana Rubiyana
- Research
Center for Genetic Engineering, Indonesian
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong 16911, Indonesia
| | - Reza Aditama
- Biochemistry
Research Group, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Ratih A. Ningrum
- Research
Center for Genetic Engineering, Indonesian
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong 16911, Indonesia
| | - Andri Wardiana
- Research
Center for Genetic Engineering, Indonesian
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong 16911, Indonesia
| | - Azzania Fibriani
- School
of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut
Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
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39
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Hebra T, Smrčková H, Elkatmis B, Převorovský M, Pluskal T. POMBOX: A Fission Yeast Cloning Toolkit for Molecular and Synthetic Biology. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:558-567. [PMID: 37991801 PMCID: PMC10877588 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is a popular model organism in molecular biology and cell physiology. With its ease of genetic manipulation and growth, supported by in-depth functional annotations in the PomBase database and genome-wide metabolic models,S. pombe is an attractive option for synthetic biology applications. However,S. pombe currently lacks modular tools for generating genetic circuits with more than 1 transcriptional unit. We developed a toolkit to address this gap. Adapted from the MoClo-YTK plasmid kit for Saccharomyces cerevisiae and using the same modular cloning grammar, our POMBOX toolkit is designed to facilitate fast, efficient, and modular construction of genetic circuits inS. pombe. It allows for interoperability when working with DNA sequences that are functional in bothS. cerevisiae and S. pombe (e.g., protein tags, antibiotic resistance cassettes, and coding sequences). Moreover, POMBOX enables the modular assembly of multigene pathways and increases the possible pathway length from 6 to 12 transcriptional units. We also adapted the stable integration vector homology arms to Golden Gate assembly and tested the genomic integration success rates depending on different sequence sizes, from 4 to 24 kb. We included 14 S. pombe promoters that we characterized using two fluorescent proteins, in both minimally defined (EMM2─Edinburgh minimal media) and complex (YES─yeast extract with supplements) media. Then, we examined the efficacy of 6 S. cerevisiae and 6 synthetic terminators in S. pombe. Finally, we used the POMBOX kit for a synthetic biology application in metabolic engineering and expressed plant enzymes in S. pombe to produce specialized metabolite precursors, namely, methylxanthine, amorpha-4,11-diene, and cinnamic acid from the purine, mevalonate, and aromatic amino acid pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Téo Hebra
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Helena Smrčková
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Büsra Elkatmis
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Převorovský
- Department
of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles
University, 128 00 Prague, Czech
Republic
| | - Tomáš Pluskal
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic
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40
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Ragland CJ, Shih KY, Dinneny JR. Choreographing root architecture and rhizosphere interactions through synthetic biology. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1370. [PMID: 38355570 PMCID: PMC10866969 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45272-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change is driving extreme changes to the environment, posing substantial threats to global food security and bioenergy. Given the direct role of plant roots in mediating plant-environment interactions, engineering the form and function of root systems and their associated microbiota may mitigate these effects. Synthetic genetic circuits have enabled sophisticated control of gene expression in microbial systems for years and a surge of advances has heralded the extension of this approach to multicellular plant species. Targeting these tools to affect root structure, exudation, and microbe activity on root surfaces provide multiple strategies for the advancement of climate-ready crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carin J Ragland
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Kevin Y Shih
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - José R Dinneny
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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41
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Zhang J, Li F, Liu D, Liu Q, Song H. Engineering extracellular electron transfer pathways of electroactive microorganisms by synthetic biology for energy and chemicals production. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:1375-1446. [PMID: 38117181 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00537b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The excessive consumption of fossil fuels causes massive emission of CO2, leading to climate deterioration and environmental pollution. The development of substitutes and sustainable energy sources to replace fossil fuels has become a worldwide priority. Bio-electrochemical systems (BESs), employing redox reactions of electroactive microorganisms (EAMs) on electrodes to achieve a meritorious combination of biocatalysis and electrocatalysis, provide a green and sustainable alternative approach for bioremediation, CO2 fixation, and energy and chemicals production. EAMs, including exoelectrogens and electrotrophs, perform extracellular electron transfer (EET) (i.e., outward and inward EET), respectively, to exchange energy with the environment, whose rate determines the efficiency and performance of BESs. Therefore, we review the synthetic biology strategies developed in the last decade for engineering EAMs to enhance the EET rate in cell-electrode interfaces for facilitating the production of electricity energy and value-added chemicals, which include (1) progress in genetic manipulation and editing tools to achieve the efficient regulation of gene expression, knockout, and knockdown of EAMs; (2) synthetic biological engineering strategies to enhance the outward EET of exoelectrogens to anodes for electricity power production and anodic electro-fermentation (AEF) for chemicals production, including (i) broadening and strengthening substrate utilization, (ii) increasing the intracellular releasable reducing equivalents, (iii) optimizing c-type cytochrome (c-Cyts) expression and maturation, (iv) enhancing conductive nanowire biosynthesis and modification, (v) promoting electron shuttle biosynthesis, secretion, and immobilization, (vi) engineering global regulators to promote EET rate, (vii) facilitating biofilm formation, and (viii) constructing cell-material hybrids; (3) the mechanisms of inward EET, CO2 fixation pathway, and engineering strategies for improving the inward EET of electrotrophic cells for CO2 reduction and chemical production, including (i) programming metabolic pathways of electrotrophs, (ii) rewiring bioelectrical circuits for enhancing inward EET, and (iii) constructing microbial (photo)electrosynthesis by cell-material hybridization; (4) perspectives on future challenges and opportunities for engineering EET to develop highly efficient BESs for sustainable energy and chemical production. We expect that this review will provide a theoretical basis for the future development of BESs in energy harvesting, CO2 fixation, and chemical synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junqi Zhang
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
| | - Feng Li
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
| | - Dingyuan Liu
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
| | - Qijing Liu
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
| | - Hao Song
- Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
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42
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Hoffmann SA, Cai Y. Engineering stringent genetic biocontainment of yeast with a protein stability switch. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1060. [PMID: 38316765 PMCID: PMC10844650 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44988-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology holds immense promise to tackle key problems in resource use, environmental remediation, and human health care. However, comprehensive safety measures are lacking to employ engineered microorganisms in open-environment applications. Genetically encoded biocontainment systems may solve this issue. Here, we describe such a system based on conditional stability of essential proteins. We used a destabilizing domain degron stabilized by estradiol addition (ERdd). We ERdd-tagged 775 essential genes and screened for strains with estradiol dependent growth. Three genes, SPC110, DIS3 and RRP46, were found to be particularly suitable targets. Respective strains showed no growth defect in the presence of estradiol and strong growth inhibition in its absence. SPC110-ERdd offered the most stringent containment, with an escape frequency of <5×10-7. Removal of its C-terminal domain decreased the escape frequency further to <10-8. Being based on conditional protein stability, the presented approach is mechanistically orthogonal to previously reported genetic biocontainment systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan A Hoffmann
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Yizhi Cai
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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Martínez-García E, de Lorenzo V. Pseudomonas putida as a synthetic biology chassis and a metabolic engineering platform. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 85:103025. [PMID: 38061264 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2023.103025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida, especially the KT2440 strain, is increasingly being utilized as a host for biotransformations of both industrial and environmental interest. The foundations of such performance include its robust redox metabolism, ability to tolerate a wide range of physicochemical stresses, rapid growth, versatile metabolism, nonpathogenic nature, and the availability of molecular tools for advanced genetic programming. These attributes have been leveraged for hosting engineered pathways for production of valuable chemicals or degradation/valorization of environmental pollutants. This has in turn pushed the boundaries of conventional enzymology toward previously unexplored reactions in nature. Furthermore, modifications to the physical properties of the cells have been made to enhance their catalytic performance. These advancements establish P. putida as bona fide chassis for synthetic biology, on par with more traditional metabolic engineering platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban Martínez-García
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Campus Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Calle Darwin 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Víctor de Lorenzo
- Systems Biology Department, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Campus Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Calle Darwin 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
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44
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Benisch M, Aoki SK, Khammash M. Unlocking the potential of optogenetics in microbial applications. Curr Opin Microbiol 2024; 77:102404. [PMID: 38039932 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Optogenetics is a powerful approach that enables researchers to use light to dynamically manipulate cellular behavior. Since the first published use of optogenetics in synthetic biology, the field has expanded rapidly, yielding a vast array of tools and applications. Despite its immense potential for achieving high spatiotemporal precision, optogenetics has predominantly been employed as a substitute for conventional chemical inducers. In this short review, we discuss key features of microbial optogenetics and highlight applications for understanding biology, cocultures, bioproduction, biomaterials, and therapeutics, in which optogenetics is more fully utilized to realize goals not previously possible by other methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Benisch
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE), ETH Zürich, Schanzenstrasse 44, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Stephanie K Aoki
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE), ETH Zürich, Schanzenstrasse 44, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Mustafa Khammash
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE), ETH Zürich, Schanzenstrasse 44, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
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45
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Sun H, Wang J, Li Y, Yang S, Chen DD, Tu Y, Liu J, Sun Z. Synthetic biology in microalgae towards fucoxanthin production for pharmacy and nutraceuticals. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 220:115958. [PMID: 38052271 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic biology has emerged as a powerful tool for engineering biological systems to produce valuable compounds, including pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. Microalgae, in particular, offer a promising platform for the production of bioactive compounds due to their high productivity, low land and water requirements, and ability to perform photosynthesis. Fucoxanthin, a carotenoid pigment found predominantly in brown seaweeds and certain microalgae, has gained significant attention in recent years due to its numerous health benefits, such as antioxidation, antitumor effect and precaution osteoporosis. This review provides an overview of the principles and applications of synthetic biology in the microbial engineering of microalgae for enhanced fucoxanthin production. Firstly, the fucoxanthin bioavailability and metabolism in vivo was introduced for the beneficial roles, followed by the biological functions of anti-oxidant activity, anti-inflammatory activity, antiapoptotic role antidiabetic and antilipemic effects. Secondly, the cultivation condition and strategy were summarized for fucoxanthin improvement with low production costs. Thirdly, the genetic engineering of microalgae, including gene overexpression, knockdown and knockout strategies were discussed for further improving the fucoxanthin production. Then, synthetic biology tools of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, transcription activator-like effector nucleases as well as modular assembly and chassis engineering were proposed to precise modification of microalgal genomes to improve fucoxanthin production. Finally, challenges and future perspectives were discussed to realize the industrial production and development of functional foods of fucoxanthin from microalgae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Sun
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology; Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jia Wang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Yuelian Li
- China National Chemical Information Center, Beijing 100020, China
| | - Shufang Yang
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | | | - Yidong Tu
- Technology Center, Shanghai Inoherb Co. Ltd, 121 Chengyin Road, Shanghai 200083, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, Algae Innovation Center for Engineering Research, School of Resources and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Zheng Sun
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology; Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Marine Biomedical Science and Technology Innovation Platform of Lin-gang Special Area, Shanghai 201306, China.
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46
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Taskiran II, Spanier KI, Dickmänken H, Kempynck N, Pančíková A, Ekşi EC, Hulselmans G, Ismail JN, Theunis K, Vandepoel R, Christiaens V, Mauduit D, Aerts S. Cell-type-directed design of synthetic enhancers. Nature 2024; 626:212-220. [PMID: 38086419 PMCID: PMC10830415 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06936-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Transcriptional enhancers act as docking stations for combinations of transcription factors and thereby regulate spatiotemporal activation of their target genes1. It has been a long-standing goal in the field to decode the regulatory logic of an enhancer and to understand the details of how spatiotemporal gene expression is encoded in an enhancer sequence. Here we show that deep learning models2-6, can be used to efficiently design synthetic, cell-type-specific enhancers, starting from random sequences, and that this optimization process allows detailed tracing of enhancer features at single-nucleotide resolution. We evaluate the function of fully synthetic enhancers to specifically target Kenyon cells or glial cells in the fruit fly brain using transgenic animals. We further exploit enhancer design to create 'dual-code' enhancers that target two cell types and minimal enhancers smaller than 50 base pairs that are fully functional. By examining the state space searches towards local optima, we characterize enhancer codes through the strength, combination and arrangement of transcription factor activator and transcription factor repressor motifs. Finally, we apply the same strategies to successfully design human enhancers, which adhere to enhancer rules similar to those of Drosophila enhancers. Enhancer design guided by deep learning leads to better understanding of how enhancers work and shows that their code can be exploited to manipulate cell states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim I Taskiran
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology (VIB.AI), Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katina I Spanier
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology (VIB.AI), Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hannah Dickmänken
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology (VIB.AI), Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Niklas Kempynck
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology (VIB.AI), Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alexandra Pančíková
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology (VIB.AI), Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KULeuven Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eren Can Ekşi
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology (VIB.AI), Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Gert Hulselmans
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology (VIB.AI), Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joy N Ismail
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology (VIB.AI), Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Koen Theunis
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology (VIB.AI), Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Roel Vandepoel
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology (VIB.AI), Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Valerie Christiaens
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology (VIB.AI), Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - David Mauduit
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology (VIB.AI), Leuven, Belgium
- VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stein Aerts
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, VIB Center for AI & Computational Biology (VIB.AI), Leuven, Belgium.
- VIB-KULeuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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47
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Wang G, Wang Q, Qi Q, Wang Q. Dynamic plasmid copy number control for synthetic biology. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:147-150. [PMID: 37689527 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
Plasmids that replicate independently from chromosomes are valuable genetic tools for biological research. Dynamic control of plasmid copy number facilitates flexible regulation of the gene of interest or the genetic circuit installed in the plasmid. This useful strategy is being integrated into synthetic biology for metabolic reprogramming and biosensing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gege Wang
- National Glycoengineering Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, PR China
| | - Qi Wang
- National Glycoengineering Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, PR China
| | - Qingsheng Qi
- National Glycoengineering Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, PR China
| | - Qian Wang
- National Glycoengineering Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, PR China.
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48
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Maull V, Pla Mauri J, Conde Pueyo N, Solé R. A synthetic microbial Daisyworld: planetary regulation in the test tube. J R Soc Interface 2024; 21:20230585. [PMID: 38321922 PMCID: PMC10847846 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The idea that the Earth system self-regulates in a habitable state was proposed in the 1970s by James Lovelock, who conjectured that life plays a self-regulatory role on a planetary-level scale. A formal approach to such hypothesis was presented afterwards under a toy model known as the Daisyworld. The model showed how such life-geosphere homeostasis was an emergent property of the system, where two species with different properties adjusted their populations to the changing external environment. So far, this ideal world exists only as a mathematical or computational construct, but it would be desirable to have a real, biological implementation of Lovelock's picture beyond our one biosphere. Inspired by the exploration of synthetic ecosystems using genetic engineering and recent cell factory designs, here we propose a possible implementation for a microbial Daisyworld. This includes: (i) an explicit proposal for an engineered design of a two-strain consortia, using pH as the external, abiotic control parameter and (ii) several theoretical and computational case studies including two, three and multiple species assemblies. The special alternative implementations and their implications in other synthetic biology scenarios, including ecosystem engineering, are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Maull
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Psg Lluis Companys, Barcelona, Spain
- Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Jordi Pla Mauri
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Psg Lluis Companys, Barcelona, Spain
- Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Nuria Conde Pueyo
- Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona 08003, Spain
- EMBL Barcelona, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Ricard Solé
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Psg Lluis Companys, Barcelona, Spain
- Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona 08003, Spain
- Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
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Montagud‐Martínez R, Márquez‐Costa R, Heras‐Hernández M, Dolcemascolo R, Rodrigo G. On the ever-growing functional versatility of the CRISPR-Cas13 system. Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14418. [PMID: 38381083 PMCID: PMC10880580 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas systems evolved in prokaryotes to implement a powerful antiviral immune response as a result of sequence-specific targeting by ribonucleoproteins. One of such systems consists of an RNA-guided RNA endonuclease, known as CRISPR-Cas13. In very recent years, this system is being repurposed in different ways in order to decipher and engineer gene expression programmes. Here, we discuss the functional versatility of the CRISPR-Cas13 system, which includes the ability for RNA silencing, RNA editing, RNA tracking, nucleic acid detection and translation regulation. This functional palette makes the CRISPR-Cas13 system a relevant tool in the broad field of systems and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roser Montagud‐Martínez
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio)CSIC – University of ValenciaPaternaSpain
| | - Rosa Márquez‐Costa
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio)CSIC – University of ValenciaPaternaSpain
| | - María Heras‐Hernández
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio)CSIC – University of ValenciaPaternaSpain
| | - Roswitha Dolcemascolo
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio)CSIC – University of ValenciaPaternaSpain
| | - Guillermo Rodrigo
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio)CSIC – University of ValenciaPaternaSpain
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50
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The intersection of bottom-up synthetic cell engineering and nanobiotechnology. Nat Nanotechnol 2024; 19:131. [PMID: 38365900 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-024-01627-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
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