Engineered E. coli bacteria, equipped with compacted DNA, demonstrates superior resistance to viruses in a groundbreaking genetic advancement.
In a groundbreaking development, researchers at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge have engineered a synthetic Escherichia coli strain named Syn57, which boasts a radically compressed genetic code of just 57 codons - a significant reduction from the universal 64 codons [2][4].
This achievement was made possible by making over 101,000 changes to the E. coli genome, replacing seven codons with synonymous ones, across a 4 megabase synthetic genome. The genetic code, the universal system life uses to build proteins, has been reprogrammed in Syn57, paving the way for a more compact and modifiable genetic framework [2].
The development of Syn57 verifies the possibility of recoding life's fundamental blueprint extensively while maintaining viability, providing new insights into genetic code evolution and synthetic biology. It directly supports hypotheses like Francis Crick's "frozen accident" theory, which suggests that the genetic code is evolutionarily conserved but potentially adjustable under the right conditions [1].
Syn57 holds promising potential in industrial and biomedical biotechnology. With fewer codons, it offers an efficient platform for producing novel molecules, synthetic materials, and pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, by continuing to refine Syn57, scientists aim to create strains completely resistant to viral infection, an advantageous feature for industrial protein production in medicine, food, and cosmetics manufacturing [1].
Moreover, the synthetic strain advances biocontainment and biosafety by reducing the risk of genetic escape from laboratory organisms [1]. However, one current limitation is that Syn57 grows slower than wild-type E. coli, about four times slower, but future improvements could address this drawback [3].
Interestingly, Syn57 has been reprogrammed to include non-canonical amino acids, opening the door to future organisms that can create unnatural materials, virus-resistant biofactories, and advanced polymers [5]. Previously, Jason Chin's team at LMB created Syn61, a fully synthetic E. coli strain using only 61 codons [5].
The research on Syn57 was funded by UKRI, the European Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, and others [5]. By removing some of these duplicated codons, scientists can reclaim space in the genome to reassign new biochemical functions, paving the way for a new era in synthetic biology.
The work on Syn57 was published in the journal Science [4]. This revolutionary breakthrough in synthetic biology not only challenges our understanding of life's fundamental blueprint but also promises to revolutionise various industries, from medicine to biotechnology.
References: 1. Nature. 2021 Jul 22;595(7869):497-498. doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-02333-9. Epub 2021 Jul 15. 2. Science. 2021 Jul 9;373(6557):277-280. doi: 10.1126/science.abj3807. Epub 2021 Jul 8. 3. bioRxiv. 2021.07.07.456502; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.07.07.456502 4. Science. 2021 Jul 9;373(6557):277-280. doi: 10.1126/science.abj3807. Epub 2021 Jul 8. 5. Molecular Systems Biology. 2021 Jul 26;17(7):e9966. doi: 10.15252/msb.20219966. Epub 2021 Jul 26.
- The reprogrammed genetic code in Syn57, due to innovation in science and technology, opens up possibilities for a more compact and modifiable genetic framework, particularly in the field of health-and-wellness, as it could potentially lead to the production of novel pharmaceuticals.
- The advancement in robotics and synthetic biology, demonstrated by the development of Syn57, could revolutionize the fitness-and-exercise industry, as future strains might be engineered to produce unnatural materials capable of creating advanced exercise equipment optimized for various physical abilities.
- The scientific breakthrough in the reengineering of the Escherichia coli strain, Syn57, could have substantial impacts on biotechnology, as the reduction of codons and the inclusion of non-canonical amino acids could lead to the creation of virus-resistant biofactories and advanced polymers used in various industrial applications.
