New biological "wire" that can be connected to yeast DNA

According to the American physicist network March 20 (Beijing time) reported that British scientists have developed a new biological "wire", the yeast DNA can be effectively linked together, the latest method to help scientists create a more complex micro-biological machines. The research paper was published in the PLoS One magazine published in the March 19 issue of the journal Public Library of Science.

Scientists at the Institute of Synthetic Biology and Innovation at Imperial College of Technology have demonstrated this new way of making biological "wires." They modified a protein-based technique called transcriptional activator-like effectors that allow the effector to produce a transcriptional activator protein that behaves like a wire in an electronic device. The advantage of the new biological "wires," the researchers say, is that they can be reprogrammed, meaning they can tie together many DNA-based components without causing the device to "short-circuit" and therefore have the potential to make DNA components Interconnected billions of times. Scientists have developed this kind of "wire" connected to a limited number of DNA, therefore, can not be used to form a complex biological machine.

The team has also developed a number of "promoter" based DNA elements that can be reprogrammed to perform different tasks using these "promoters." "This latest development provides a valuable new toolbox for bioengineers with yeast," says Tom Elys, co-author of the study. "From grape-growing to bread making, for thousands of years, humans have used yeast to make the community become more affluent. Our latest research will promote the use of yeast to produce more complex biological machines in this area. To develop these miniature biological machines, it can be used for environmental monitoring, clean fuel manufacturing, which can make our lives better."

"The new approach to reenergizing yeast opens the door to more complex biological equipment," said Benjamin Bohnt, the lead author of the paper, at the Center for Biotechnology and Innovation at Imperial University of Technology. " The new research really makes it possible for us to develop more complex systems with yeast, "added Richard Ketney, who co-authored the cell, " Which will lead us into a new era in which biological machines can improve our health and improve our way of life and leisure. "Another co-director of the Center, Paul Vaughan concluded, "This new method of assembling specific biological parts with yeast will soon be used by academics and industry." （Benjamin A. Blount, Tim Weenink, Serge Vasylechko, Tom Ellis.Rational Diversification of a Promoter Providing Fine-Tuned Expression and Orthogonal Regulation for Synthetic Biology. PLoS One,2012. ）