Scientists Successfully Construct Yeast Strain with More Than 50% Synthetic DNA, Moving Closer to the World's First Fully Synthetic Yeast Genome
Milestone in synthetic biology includes creation of world's first completely de novo synthetic chromosome and debugging of genome defects; team's next challenge is to amalgamate remaining synthetic chromosomes into single cell.
- Scientists have created a yeast strain with more than 50% synthetic DNA, marking a significant advance in synthetic biology. The strain, which incorporates over seven synthetic chromosomes into a single yeast cell, operates similarly to natural yeast strains.
- The synthetic genome differs substantially from its original Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer's or baker's yeast) template, featuring many modifications such as the removal of repetitive elements and 'junk' DNA, and the addition of a built-in gene shuffler known as 'SCRaMbLE'.
- Researchers created the world's first entirely de novo synthetic chromosome, the 'tRNA neochromosome', which exclusively houses genes encoding transfer RNA (tRNA). This innovative approach increases the stability of the synthetic genome.
- The team encountered several genetic 'bugs' when consolidating synthetic chromosomes into a single yeast strain. Some were due to cumulative minor defects, while others resulted from gene interactions across different synthetic chromosomes. These bugs were mapped and corrected using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, improving the synthetic yeast's fitness.
- The team's next challenge is to incorporate the remaining synthetic chromosomes into the yeast cell. It is anticipated that creating the fully synthetic yeast could strengthen it, improve its efficiency, enhance its tolerance to harsh conditions, and increase its yield, presenting significant benefits for biofuel production, pharmaceuticals, and fermentation processes.
ScienceDaily 
