Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuval Elani
Summary: The construction of artificial cells is a major challenge today, with potential applications in clinical and industrial settings. Artificial cells currently cannot match the complexity of biological cells, leading researchers to explore hybrid living/synthetic systems that combine the advantages of both.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ruben Mateos Fernandez, Marko Petek, Iryna Gerasymenko, Mojca Jutersek, Spela Baebler, Kalyani Kallam, Elena Moreno Gimenez, Janine Gondolf, Alfred Nordmann, Kristina Gruden, Diego Orzaez, Nicola J. Patron
Summary: Arthropod crop pests account for 20% of global annual crop losses, a figure expected to rise with climate change. Humans have historically used chemical formulations to control pests, but concerns about biodiversity impacts are growing. Biotechnology is providing new options for pest control, including engineering resistant crops and insect populations.
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Chemical
Xueying Zhu, Zhaoyang Zhang, Bin Jia, Yingjin Yuan
Summary: Synthetic biotechnology has been widely applied in biochemistry, bioenergy, and therapy, but the uncontrolled spread of GMOs poses unpredictable biosafety risks. Effective biocontainment methods have been developed to address these challenges. This article summarizes recent advances in biocontainment strategies in DNA replication, transcriptional regulation, and protein translation, and introduces the efforts in the biocontainment convention, such as the Tianjin Biosecurity Guidelines.
CHINESE JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Hehe He, Qianqian Yu, Zhongyang Ding, Liang Zhang, Guiyang Shi, Youran Li
Summary: Bacillus licheniformis, a Gram-positive bacterium, has important biologic applications in the food industry, such as biosynthesis of high value-added bioproducts, probiotic functions, and biological treatment of food production wastes. This review summarizes recent advances and presents synthetic biology strategies for the wider and more efficient application of this strain. It also discusses current challenges and provides a unique perspective on future research directions. Overall, this review provides an illuminating and comprehensive perspective on B. licheniformis, promoting its effective development in the food industry.
SYNTHETIC AND SYSTEMS BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Kangsan Kim, Minjeong Kang, Byung-Kwan Cho
Summary: In recent years, there has been increasing interest in gut commensal engineering for therapeutic applications. Recent advancements in synthetic biology and systems biology have enabled effective utilization of gut commensals for therapy and diagnosis, including the rational design of synthetic microbial consortia and the construction of synthetic cells that can detect specific signals in the intestine and deliver therapeutic drugs in real-time.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Jaeyoung K. Jung, Blake J. Rasor, Grant A. Rybnicky, Adam D. Silverman, Janet Standeven, Robert Kuhn, Teresa Granito, Holly M. Ekas, Brenda M. Wang, Ashty S. Karim, Julius B. Lucks, Michael C. Jewett
Summary: As the field of synthetic biology expands, the need to grow and train STEM practitioners is essential. However, the lack of access to hands-on demonstrations has led to inequalities of opportunity and practice. To address this, shelf-stable cell-free biosensing educational modules were developed, allowing students to create their own bioengineered systems by adding water and DNA to freeze-dried crude extracts of non-pathogenic Escherichia coli. This work promises to increase access to interactive synthetic biology education opportunities.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Developmental Biology
David Oriola, Francesca M. Spagnoli
Summary: The second EMBO-EMBL Symposium on Synthetic Morphogenesis was held virtually in March 2021, drawing participants from around the world to discuss the topic. Leading scientists from various disciplines covered a wide range of topics, from cell and tissue organization to synthetic approaches for exploring evolutionary and developmental biology principles.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Charles F. Ericson, Martin Pilhofer
Summary: The bacterial injection system has been modified to create a programmable method for delivering proteins into cells, offering customization for numerous biomedical applications.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Franz Opel, Nina A. Siebert, Sabine Klatt, Adrian Tuellinghoff, Janis G. Hantke, Joerg Toepel, Bruno Buehler, Dennis J. Nuernberg, Stephan Klaehn
Summary: Cyanobacteria have attracted great interest in biotechnology for their potential in sustainable, photosynthesis-driven production of fuels and value-added chemicals. However, compared to heterotrophic microorganisms, cyanobacterial model strains still lag behind in terms of molecular tools for engineering their metabolism. Researchers have developed a new tool called the pSOMA shuttle vector series for comprehensive genetic engineering of cyanobacteria and demonstrated its potential in gene expression and transfer.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jiwei Chen, Yifan Huang, Yuexuan Shu, Xiaoyue Hu, Di Wu, Hangjin Jiang, Kui Wang, Weihua Liu, Weiqi Fu
Summary: This review discusses the potential applications of microalgae, with a focus on diatoms, as a sustainable source for developing bioactive compounds, functional foods, feeds, and biofuels. The review highlights the advantages of diatoms in developing photosynthetic cell factories and the obstacles limiting their commercialization. The review also explores the use of systems and synthetic biology to improve the efficiency of diatom cell factories, including genome engineering technologies such as CRISPR gene-editing. The review concludes by providing critical insights into the future direction of algal production and identifying bottlenecks in algal engineering development.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Rainer Breitling, Martina Avbelj, Oksana Bilyk, Francesco Del Carratore, Alessandro Filisetti, Erik K. R. Hanko, Marianna Iorio, Rosario Perez Redondo, Fernando Reyes, Michelle Rudden, Emmanuele Severi, Lucija Slemc, Kamila Schmidt, Dominic R. Whittall, Stefano Donadio, Antonio Rodriguez Garcia, Olga Genilloud, Gregor Kosec, Davide De Lucrezia, Hrvoje Petkovic, Gavin Thomas, Eriko Takano
Summary: Actinomycete bacteria are attractive targets for genetic engineering using synthetic biology tools due to their biochemical versatility and biotechnological importance. However, their complex biology presents unique challenges. This mini review highlights recent advances in synthetic biology approaches from an actinomycete perspective and showcases examples of their application in the rational improvement of industrially relevant strains.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Bouchra Ezzamouri, Saeed Shoaie, Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro
Summary: The microbial communities of the human body play a crucial role in human health, with potential for novel therapeutic and diagnostic interventions. The integration of systems biology approaches and synthetic biology can enhance the quality and impact of future studies on the human microbiome, highlighting important avenues for future research.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Justice T. Walker
Summary: Despite limited knowledge of synthetic biology, middle school students have well-formed attitudes towards the field, indicating potential for further learning and engagement. The perspectives among this group are still developing and flexible, presenting opportunities for support and education in this emerging field.
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Adriana Cherskov, Nenad Sestan
Summary: This high-throughput technique screens genes implicated in neurodevelopmental diseases in 3D cell cultures, revealing a potential mechanism involved in a rare disorder known as microcephaly. The CRISPR-based organoid screen targets genes linked to microcephaly.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Amber Dance
Summary: By pushing fluorescent proteins further into the red end of the spectrum, bioengineers are expanding the color options and depth of penetration for biological imaging.
Article
Microbiology
Bora Kim, Johan A. Westerhuis, Age K. Smilde, Kristyna Flokova, Afnan K. A. Suleiman, Eiko E. Kuramae, Harro J. Bouwmeester, Anouk Zancarini
Summary: This study provides new insight into the role of strigolactones in the interaction between plants and microbes in the rhizosphere. Strigolactones promote a mutualistic association between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, helping plants with nutrient uptake. The signaling function of strigolactones may also extend to other microbial partners, but their effect on the global root and rhizosphere microbiome is still poorly understood.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jun He, Francel Verstappen, Ao Jiao, Marcel Dicke, Harro J. Bouwmeester, Iris F. Kappers
Summary: Our study revealed the important roles of the TPS gene family in cucumber in response to different herbivores, with multiple CsTPS genes showing upregulation in leaves upon herbivory. The products generated by the expressed proteins matched the terpenoids recorded in the volatile blend released by herbivore-damaged leaves, providing detailed insights into the dynamics and fine-tuning of the emission of herbivore-induced plant volatiles in cucumber.
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Claudia E. Vickers, Paul S. Freemont
Summary: Synthetic biology has been crucial in tackling the current pandemic, and biofoundries are essential infrastructure that should be accessible to all nations as part of their independent bioengineering, biosecurity, and countermeasure response systems.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Bingyin Peng, Naga Chandra Bandari, Zeyu Lu, Christopher B. Howard, Colin Scott, Matt Trau, Geoff Dumsday, Claudia E. Vickers
Summary: This study addresses the problem of temporal control in microbial metabolic engineering by using a modular engineering approach. New genetic circuits were designed and constructed to achieve precise control of heterologous pathways driven by the GAL promoter, resulting in increased production efficiency.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Marcos H. Vinde, Da Cao, Rebecca J. Chesterfield, Kaori Yoneyama, Yosephine Gumulya, Raine E. S. Thomson, Tebogo Matila, Birgitta E. Ebert, Christine A. Beveridge, Claudia E. Vickers, Elizabeth M. J. Gillam
Summary: This study explores the functional evolution of the highly conserved CYP711A P450 family and reveals their role in the diversification of the phytohormone strigolactone.
Article
Plant Sciences
Yanting Wang, Janani Durairaj, Hernando G. Suarez Duran, Robin van Velzen, Kristyna Flokova, Che-Yang Liao, Aleksandra Chojnacka, Stuart MacFarlane, M. Eric Schranz, Marnix H. Medema, Aalt D. J. van Dijk, Lemeng Dong, Harro J. Bouwmeester
Summary: By using root RNA-seq data and co-expression analysis, candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of SLs in tomato, including several cytochrome P450 genes, were discovered. Experimental results demonstrated the catalytic activity of CYP712G1 in oxidizing orobanchol to form DDH isomers, which can be further converted to solanacol, a major component of tomato root exudate.
Article
Plant Sciences
Giovanni Melandri, Eliana Monteverde, David Riewe, Hamada AbdElgawad, Susan R. McCouch, Harro Bouwmeester
Summary: Biochemical traits outperform genetic markers in predicting yield performance in rice under drought stress. Multivariable models based on metabolic/biochemical data show higher predictability than genomic-based models for grain yield and stress-induced yield loss. Enzyme activities and metabolite values in the models integrate the effect of physiological differences on yield and provide important predictors for rice yield stability under drought.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kiyoshi Mashiguchi, Yoshiya Seto, Yuta Onozuka, Sarina Suzuki, Kiyoko Takemoto, Yanting Wang, Lemeng Dong, Kei Asami, Ryota Noda, Takaya Kisugi, Naoki Kitaoka, Kohki Akiyama, Harro Bouwmeester, Shinjiro Yamaguchi
Summary: Strigolactones are plant hormones that regulate shoot branching and other developmental processes. In Arabidopsis, a methyl esterified derivative of the biosynthetic precursor carlactonoic acid (CLA), called methyl carlactonoate (MeCLA), acts as an endogenous SL-like molecule. It has been found that an enzyme called CLAMT efficiently catalyzes the methylation of CLA to produce MeCLA. This methylation step is critical for converting an inactive precursor to a bioactive compound in the shoot branching inhibition pathway.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Kirill Alexandrov, Claudia E. Vickers
Summary: Biological homeostasis is a dynamic equilibrium of biochemical reactions, and studying its dynamics and reconfiguring networks require monitoring intracellular metabolite concentrations. Protein biosensors with optical readouts can provide detailed information, but their construction is challenging. Developing efficient approaches for chemically induced dimerization systems and reporter domains with large dynamic ranges can solve these problems.
TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jiahn-Chou Guan, Changsheng Li, Sherry Flint-Garcia, Masaharu Suzuki, Shan Wu, Jonathan W. Saunders, Lemeng Dong, Harro J. Bouwmeester, Donald R. McCarty, Karen E. Koch
Summary: Strigolactones not only affect the traits of Tga1 in corn, but also play a crucial role in the traits and development of rice. Through genetic and molecular evidence, it has been found that SLs regulate the availability of TGA1 and play a role in increasing kernel size, providing physical support, and exposing them on the grain-bearing surface.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
C. Li, L. Dong, J. Durairaj, J. -C. Guan, M. Yoshimura, P. Quinodoz, R. Horber, K. Gaus, J. Li, Y. B. Setotaw, J. Qi, H. De Groote, Y. Wang, B. Thiombiano, K. Flokova, A. Walmsley, T. V. Charnikhova, A. Chojnacka, S. Correia de Lemos, Y. Ding, D. Skibbe, K. Hermann, C. Screpanti, A. De Mesmaeker, E. A. Schmelz, A. Menkir, M. Medema, A. D. J. Van Dijk, J. Wu, K. E. Koch, H. J. Bouwmeester
Summary: Maize, a major crop in Africa, is threatened by the parasitic witchweed Striga. Researchers have discovered two new strigolactones, zealactol and zealactonoic acid, which have weaker germination-inducing effects on Striga compared to the major strigolactone, zealactone. They also identified a key enzyme, ZmCYP706C37, in the maize strigolactone biosynthetic pathway, and reducing its activity, along with two others, can change strigolactone composition and reduce Striga germination and infection.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gilles Vismans, Sietske van Bentum, Jelle Spooren, Yang Song, Pim Goossens, Josep Valls, Basten L. Snoek, Benjamin Thiombiano, Mario Schilder, Lemeng Dong, Harro J. Bouwmeester, Pierre Petriacq, Corne M. J. Pieterse, Peter A. H. M. Bakker, Roeland L. Berendsen
Summary: Plants deposit carbon in the rhizosphere to create a favorable environment for microbes. Previous studies have shown that foliar infection can alter the composition of the rhizosphere microbiome. This study demonstrates that the Hpa-induced shift in the root microbiome can protect plants from downy mildew infection by activating the plant's systemic resistance. Coumarins play a prominent role in this process.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Miguel Ezquerro, Changsheng Li, Julia Perez-Perez, Esteban Burbano-Erazo, M. Victoria Barja, Yanting Wang, Lemeng Dong, Purificacion Lison, M. Pilar Lopez-Gresa, Harro J. Bouwmeester, Manuel Rodriguez-Concepcion
Summary: This study investigated the function of SlG1, a gene involved in carotenoid and strigolactone (SL) synthesis. The results showed that slg1 lines displayed a wild-type phenotype under normal growth conditions. However, under bacterial infection, slg1 leaves produced lower levels of defensive diterpenoids. In roots, SlG1 co-expressed with PSY3 and was involved in SL production, but did not affect shoot branching phenotype.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Manuel Plan, Mareike Bongers, Sarah Bydder, Michele Fabris, Mark P. Hodson, Erin Kelly, Jens Kromer, Jordi Perez-Gil, Bingyin Peng, Alessandro Satta, Lars C. Schrubbers, Claudia E. Vickers
Summary: Isoprenoids, a group of natural compounds, play important roles in biology and have diverse industrial applications. This article describes methods for extracting and analyzing isoprenoid pathway intermediates from different microorganisms.
CAROTENOIDS: Carotenoid and Apocarotenoid Analysis
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Monica Borghi, Leonardo Perez de Souza, Takayuki Tohge, Jianing Mi, Giovanni Melandri, Sebastian Proost, Marina C. M. Martins, Salim Al-Babili, Harro J. Bouwmeester, Alisdair R. Fernie
Summary: Anthesis is characterized by intense metabolic changes, including high-energy-level metabolism and transport of carbohydrates and amino acids. These changes play a crucial role in flower opening and may promote pollination in crops.