共检索到144条,权限内显示50条;
[学术文献 ] Genetic controllers for enhancing the evolutionary longevity of synthetic gene circuits in bacteria 进入全文
Nature Communications
Engineered gene circuits often degrade due to mutation and selection, limiting their long-term utility. Here we present designs for genetic controllers which maintain synthetic gene expression over time. Using a multi-scale “host-aware" computational framework, which captures interactions between host and circuit expression, mutation, and mutant competition, we evaluate several controller architectures based on three metrics for evolutionary stability: total protein output, duration of stable output, and half-life of production. We propose a number of designs with varying inputs (e.g., output per cell, growth rate) and actuation methods (transcriptional vs. post-transcriptional regulation). We find post-transcriptional controllers generally outperform transcriptional ones, but no single design optimizes all goals. Negative autoregulation prolongs short term performance, while growth-based feedback extends functional half-life. We propose three biologically feasible, multi-input controllers that improve circuit half-life over threefold without requiring coupling the process to an essential gene or a genetic kill switch.
[学术文献 ] Genome editing in vegetable crops: a new era of sustainable agriculture 进入全文
Springer
The growing population, climate change and limited natural resources pose significant challenges to food and nutritional security. Vegetable crops are essential in achieving food security but face challenges from biotic and abiotic stresses. Improving vegetable varieties for environmental stress tolerance, especially with multiple resistance traits is a critical priority. Although, traditional breeding methods are valuable, they are often slow and require long breeding cycles to introduce desirable traits. Genome editing provides a precise and efficient method for crop improvement offering precise, efficient and targeted modifications. Technologies such as meganucleases (MegaN), zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) and CRISPR-Cas9 system enable targeted modifications to improve stress tolerance, quality traits and resistance to pests and diseases in various vegetable crops. Recent advancements in base and prime editing techniques further expand the potential of precision breeding by allowing single nucleotide changes without inducing double stranded breaks (DSBs) or inserting foreign DNA. Additionally, multiplex and epigenome editing in vegetable crops allow simultaneous modification of multiple genes and epigenetic traits. Notable applications of genome editing include lycopene content and parthenocarpy enhancement in tomato, starch quality, enzymatic browning and glycoalkaloid reduction in potato, browning resistance in brinjal, increased anthocyanin content in carrot, gynoecy and parthenocarpy in cucumber, herbicide tolerance in watermelon, salt tolerance in pumpkin etc. Thus, this review summarizes the evolution, mechanisms and applications of genome editing in various vegetables with emphasis on recent advances and their potential contribution to crop improvement.
[科研项目 ] University of Florida to be new host for major plant breeding accelerator program 进入全文
University of Florida
佛罗里达大学被选为美国农业部农业研究服务局资助的“育种洞察”项目的新主办方，该项目旨在通过先进技术加速植物育种，以提供营养食品并增强农场竞争力。该计划支持超过61个美国农业部及全国大学的公共育种项目，利用高性能计算、人工智能和定制软件，快速开发抗病虫害、更健壮且营养丰富的作物。此外，项目还扩展到观赏作物和动物育种，以促进健康生态系统。佛罗里达大学农业与自然资源高级副校长Scott Angle强调，该项目与大学农业科学研究所的结合将加速新品种开发，应对全球粮食需求。项目已获2024年美国农业部荣誉奖，认可其在食品安全方面的贡献。目前支持近50种物种，包括佛罗里达州十大农产品如蓝莓、草莓和柑橘，并计划扩展至卷心菜、花生等作物，以及水产养殖业。通过自动化收获、延长保质期和优化生长周期，项目帮助种植者提高产量和市场价值，同时推动农业向高科技转型，保持竞争优势。
[前沿资讯 ] AI Meets CRISPR for Precise Gene Editing 进入全文
苏黎世联邦理工学院
"Precise and targeted DNA editing by small point mutations as well as the integration of whole genes via CRISPR/Cas technology has great potential for applications in biotechnology and gene therapy. However, it is very important that the so-called “gene scissors” do not cause any unintended genetic changes, but maintain genomic integrity to avoid unintended side effects. Normally, double-stranded breaks in the DNA molecule are accurately repaired in humans and other organisms. But occasionally, this DNA end joining repair results in genetic errors. scientists from the University of Zurich (UZH), Ghent University in Belgium and the ETH Zurich have developed a new method which greatly improves the precision of genome editing. Using artificial intelligence (AI), the tool called “Pythia” predicts how cells repair their DNA after it is cut by gene editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9. “Our team developed tiny DNA repair templates, which act like molecular glue and guide the cell to make precise genetic changes”, says lead author Thomas Naert, who pioneered the technology in at the UZH and is currently a post-doc at Gent University. These AI-designed templates were first tested in human cell cultures, where they enabled highly accurate gene edits and integrations. The approach was also validated in other organisms, including Xenopus, a small tropical frog used in biomedical research, and in living mice, where the researchers successfully edited DNA in brain cells."
[学术文献 ] Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of BAG Family in Sweet Potato and Its Two Diploid Relatives 进入全文
MDPI
The Bcl-2 associated athanogene (BAG) family is a multifunctional group of proteins that perform diverse functions, ranging from apoptosis to tumorigenesis. In plants, BAGs play a key role in growth, autophagy, and stress response. However, the BAG family has not been explored in sweet potato. In this study, we identified 15, 14, and 14 BAGs in cultivated hexaploid sweet potato (I. batatas, 2n = B1B1B2B2B2B2 = 6x = 90) and its two diploid relatives I. trifida (2n = 2x = 30) and I. triloba (2n = 2x = 30) by sequence alignment, genome structure analysis, and phylogenetic characterization. Based on their phylogenetic relationships with Arabidopsis, we divided these BAGs into three subfamilies. Protein physicochemical properties, chromosome localization, collinearity and Ka/Ks analysis, phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, promoter cis-elements, protein interaction networks, and expression patterns were systematically investigated to explore the possible functions of these 43 BAGs in the development and abiotic and biotic stress response of sweet potato. The results suggested that homologous BAGs have differentiated functions and play various vital roles in plant growth, tuberous root development, and abiotic and biotic stress response in sweet potato and its two diploid relatives. This work provides a comprehensive comparison and understanding of the BAG genes in sweet potato and its two diploid relatives, supplying a theoretical foundation for their functional study and further facilitating the molecular breeding of sweet potato.
[前沿资讯 ] Constructive Bio secures exclusive licence for groundbreaking tRNA display technology 进入全文
Constructive Bio公司
"Constructive Bio, a leader in synthetic biology and genome recoding, today announces it has secured the exclusive licence to groundbreaking ‘tRNA Display’ technology from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology. This technology revolutionises protein engineering by enabling the integration of new-to-nature building blocks (non-canonical amino acids) into peptides and proteins. tRNA Display technology allows the rapid and accurate selection of enzymes (tRNA synthetases) that are critical for the seamless integration of non-canonical amino acids into proteins and peptides. It can be used to discover enzymes capable of incorporating novel monomers, as well as enzymes that significantly enhance manufacturing yields. This allows for the creation of next-generation therapeutics with enhanced properties, at scale and speed. Constructive Bio will deploy this transformative technology to accelerate the development and scalable biomanufacturing of next-generation therapeutics, such as precision-targeted medicines. The commercial potential extends beyond medicine development and discovery, with future applications in agriculture and high-tech materials, offering bio-based alternatives to traditional manufacturing processes."
