emirates7 - British scientists have engineered a new strain of Escherichia coli with a genetically recoded genome.
Researchers at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology explained that the genetic code is made up of three-nucleotide sequences, or codons, which direct the production of proteins vital for life. While nature uses 64 codons, only 21 are actually needed to generate 20 amino acids plus a stop signal. In the newly developed strain, the genome has been streamlined to just 57 codons.
This makes it the most compact genome known, and by removing surplus codons, scientists have freed sections of DNA that could be repurposed to incorporate entirely new amino acids absent in nature.
Back in 2019, researchers created the Syn61 strain with 61 codons, involving 18,000 DNA changes. In the latest work, led by synthetic biologist Wesley Robertson, the team performed over 100,000 modifications to produce the new Syn57 strain. Although Syn57 currently grows at just a quarter of the speed of standard E. coli, further refinements may improve its growth. The earlier Syn61 version is already applied in making more dependable medicines.
Robertson described Syn57 as a “radically recoded genome,” showcasing how synthetic biology can push genetic design beyond the boundaries of natural life. This breakthrough could enable the creation of virus-resistant bacteria, paving the way for novel drugs and advanced materials, and marks a major leap in synthetic biology and genetic engineering.
Researchers at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology explained that the genetic code is made up of three-nucleotide sequences, or codons, which direct the production of proteins vital for life. While nature uses 64 codons, only 21 are actually needed to generate 20 amino acids plus a stop signal. In the newly developed strain, the genome has been streamlined to just 57 codons.
This makes it the most compact genome known, and by removing surplus codons, scientists have freed sections of DNA that could be repurposed to incorporate entirely new amino acids absent in nature.
Back in 2019, researchers created the Syn61 strain with 61 codons, involving 18,000 DNA changes. In the latest work, led by synthetic biologist Wesley Robertson, the team performed over 100,000 modifications to produce the new Syn57 strain. Although Syn57 currently grows at just a quarter of the speed of standard E. coli, further refinements may improve its growth. The earlier Syn61 version is already applied in making more dependable medicines.
Robertson described Syn57 as a “radically recoded genome,” showcasing how synthetic biology can push genetic design beyond the boundaries of natural life. This breakthrough could enable the creation of virus-resistant bacteria, paving the way for novel drugs and advanced materials, and marks a major leap in synthetic biology and genetic engineering.