New! Sign up for our free email newsletter.
Science News
from research organizations

New 1-step process for designer bacteria

Date:
May 28, 2013
Source:
University of Adelaide
Summary:
A simpler and faster way of producing designer bacteria used in biotechnology processes has been developed.
Share:
FULL STORY

A simpler and faster way of producing designer bacteria used in biotechnology processes has been developed by University of Adelaide researchers.

The researchers have developed a new one-step bacterial genetic engineering process called 'clonetegration', published in the journal ACS Synthetic Biology.

Led by Dr Keith Shearwin, in the University's School of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, the research facilitates faster development of designer bacteria used in therapeutic drug development, such as insulin, and other biotechnology products.

Designer bacteria are produced by integrating extra pieces of genetic material into the DNA of bacteria, in this case E. coli, so that the bacteria will make a desired product.

"E. coli strains are commonly used workhorses for biotechnology and metabolic engineering," Dr Shearwin says.

"For example, new genes or even the genetic material for whole metabolic pathways are inserted into the bacteria's chromosome so that they produce compounds or proteins not normally produced. Insulin is an example of a therapeutic product produced in this way."

"The existing process for integrating new genes is inefficient, taking several days. Our new process can be completed overnight."

As well as speeding up the process, 'clonetegration' enables multiple rounds of genetic engineering on the same bacteria, and simultaneous integration of multiple genes at different specific locations.

"This will become a valuable technique for facilitating genetic engineering with sequences that are difficult to clone as well as enable the rapid construction of synthetic biological systems," Dr Shearwin says.

The research was a collaboration with Stanford University, California. The molecular tools needed for the clonetegration process will be made freely available for ongoing research and development.


Story Source:

Materials provided by University of Adelaide. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. François St-Pierre, Lun Cui, David G. Priest, Drew Endy, Ian B. Dodd, Keith E. Shearwin. One-Step Cloning and Chromosomal Integration of DNA. ACS Synthetic Biology, 2013; 130520162719006 DOI: 10.1021/sb400021j

Cite This Page:

University of Adelaide. "New 1-step process for designer bacteria." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 May 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130528100238.htm>.
University of Adelaide. (2013, May 28). New 1-step process for designer bacteria. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 19, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130528100238.htm
University of Adelaide. "New 1-step process for designer bacteria." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130528100238.htm (accessed March 19, 2024).

Explore More

from ScienceDaily

RELATED STORIES