Researchers rewrite an entire genome — and add a healthy twist
Scientists from Yale and Harvard have recoded the entire genome of an organism and improved a bacterium’s ability to resist viruses, a dramatic demonstration of the potential of rewriting an organism’s genetic code.
This is the first time ever the genetic code has been fundamentally changed. The breakthrough is a huge step forward in synthetic biology and opens up the possibility of turning re-coded bacteria into biofactories, capable of producing potent new forms of protein that could fight disease or generate sustainable materials.
Read more:
http://news.yale.edu/2013/10/17/researchers-rewrite-entire-genome-and-add-healthy-twist
Image via Wikimedia Commons
Yes wonderful news. & good job with composition of your post as always
ReplyDeleteVery impressive indeed. Though I am not sure why they claim it is the first time genetic information has been fundamentally changed. I recall Craig Venter's artificial organism which was done a few years back: http://m.us.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703559004575256470152341984?mg=reno64-wsj
ReplyDeleteYeah you're right Atanas Georgiev , Venter was the first who created synthetic life form...but I think is a difference between the two. Yale-Harvard researches not only created a novel genome but also expanded is biological functions.
ReplyDeleteI might be wrong since this is not really my specialty and I'm not quite familiar with Venter's work. Maybe someone who's working in this field can clarify this, like Derya Unutmaz
Grazie ancora una volta Corina Marinescu , per i tuoi post molto belli, interessanti, aggiornati.
ReplyDeleteAmazing, totally amazing!
ReplyDeleteAtanas Georgiev Corina Marinescu Craig Venter synthesized a whole bacterial genome, while this was tour-de-force approach, it did not change the genetic code of the organism, which was basically a synthetic copy (with few marker sequences inserted). Whereas, George Church made massive codon replacement of the bacteria's genome, which in turn resulted in apparently proteins with altered functionality.
ReplyDeleteThis could really be a landmark technological advance that can herald the era of true synthetic biology, especially when combined with Venter's (and Church's albeit different) technologies to synthesize and transplant full bacterial genomes.
Danke Derya Unutmaz
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