Scientists have deleted nearly half the genes of a microbe, creating a stripped-down version that still functions, that might reveal secrets of how life works.
Editing Technology Cuts Off HIV-1 from Genome of Human T-Cells
Targeting HIV-1 proviral DNA (the integrated viral genome) using uniquely tailored gene editing technology eliminates the DNA sequence with the virus.
Targeting HIV-1 proviral DNA (the integrated viral genome) using uniquely tailored gene editing technology eliminates the DNA sequence with the virus.
‘A minimal genome contained in a brand-new bacterium dubbed JCVI-syn3.0 carries only 473 genes but can function and reproduce on its own, helping unveil mysteries of life.
’
But lead researchers Craig Venter - the first to sequence the human genome -- and Clyde Hutchinson and their colleagues have not yet determined the functions of 149 of the genes, about a third of the total. "Investigators' first task is to probe the roles of those genes, which promise new insights into the basic biology of life," said Chris Voigt, a synthetic biologist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology who did not participate in the research.
But several potentially homologous genes have been found in other organisms, suggesting they encode universal proteins with functions that for now remain undetermined.
US Could Apply UK's Approach to Evaluate Safety, Ethics in Genome Editing
Employing the mitochondrial replacement technique could permanently alter not just an individual, but also that person's future genetic lineage.
Employing the mitochondrial replacement technique could permanently alter not just an individual, but also that person's future genetic lineage.
Through a series of experiments, they obtained a synthetic, reduced genome that was as small as possible because no more genes could be disrupted.
Advertisement
Genome Misfolding Discovered as the New Path to Cancer
In a landmark study, researchers from the Broad Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital reveal a completely new biological mechanism that underlies cancer.
In a landmark study, researchers from the Broad Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital reveal a completely new biological mechanism that underlies cancer.
"The only way to answer basic questions about life would be to get to a minimal genome. Probably the only way to do that would be to try to synthesize a genome," Venter explained in a teleconference.
Advertisement
Immune System of Bats Sparkles Key Insights on Disease Prevention in Humans
A unique immune-system functioning in bats that keeps them away from deadly infections could provide clues to help protect humans.
A unique immune-system functioning in bats that keeps them away from deadly infections could provide clues to help protect humans.
"If you know nothing about airplanes and you're looking at (a Boeing) 777 and you're just trying to find out functions of parts by removing them, and you remove the engine from the right wing, the airplane can still fly and land," Venter explained.
"So you might say that's a nonessential component and you don't really discover the essentiality until you remove the second one. And that's what's happened over and over again in biology where we would have what appeared to be a non-essential component until we removed its counterpart."
In one critical finding, researchers learned that some genes initially classified as "non-essential" in fact perform the same essential function as a second gene, meaning one of the pair of genes must remain in the minimal genome.
The minimal genome does not have genes that can modify and restrict DNA and it also lacks most genes that encode lipoproteins.
However, the genome contains nearly all genes involved in reading and expressing the genetic information in the genome, as well as in preserving genetic information across generations.
"It's an important step to creating a living cell where the genome is fully defined," said Voigt.
Source-AFP
