Mental control of transgene expression
In a recent publication, MartinFussenegger from the University of Basel and his team have developed an EEG-based brain-0computer interface that is able to induce transgene expression in a mouse implant.
In this study, a human subject wearing an EEG headset, which captured brain-wave activities and identified mental state-specific electrical patterns as discrete meditation-meter values. When the meditation meter values exceede a certain threshold, a diode emitting near infrared spectral light is turned on in a small implant in mice. The implant containes designer cells engineered for near-infrared light-adjustable expression of a human glycoprotein.
Mind-controlled transgene expression by a wireless-powered optogenetic designer cell implant.
Folcher M, Oesterle S, Zwicky K, Thekkottil T, Heymoz J, Hohmann M, Christen M, Daoud El-Baba M, Buchmann P, Fussenegger M.
Nat Commun. 2014 Nov 11;5:5392
Mind-Controlled Gene Expression
Madhusoodanan J
The Scientist, Nov 11, 2014
Available from:
http://www.the-scientist.com//?articles.view/articleNo/41416/title/Mind-Controlled-Gene-Expression/
Biopesticides from spider toxins
Vestaron, a biotech company located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is developing a new generation of insecticides using natural peptides from spiders. Last February, the company gained approval at the U.S. EPA for one such naturally occurring peptide for use on a wide variety of crops. The company plans a full commercial launch early this season.
The peptide targets the a voltage-gated calcium channel and avoltage-gated potassium channel, is highly effective against insects and related pests and harmless to non-target species, including humans.
http://www.vestaron.com/
Along Came a Spider
Jef Akst, December 2014
The Scientist,
available from:
http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/41498/title/Along-Came-a-Spider/
Synthetic DNA, synthetic enzymes
In a paper published in December 2014, researchers have used synthetic genetic polymers (XNAs), which incorporate alternative molecules instead of the ribose or deoxyribose portions of RNA and DNA, to encode and produce artificial enzymes (XNAzymes).
The authors report the discovery of XNAzymes, elaborated in four different chemistries (arabino nucleic acids, ANA5; 2′-fluoroarabino nucleic acids, FANA6; hexitol nucleic acids, HNA; and cyclohexene nucleic acids, CeNA7) directly from random XNA oligomer pools: These XNAzymes exhibit in trans RNA endonuclease and ligase activities. The authors also describe an XNA–XNA ligase metalloenzyme in the FANA framework, establishing catalysis in an entirely synthetic system and enabling the synthesis of FANA oligomers and an active RNA endonuclease FANAzyme from its constituent parts.
Catalysts from synthetic genetic polymers.
Taylor AI, Pinheiro VB, Smola MJ, Morgunov AS, Peak-Chew S, Cozens C, Weeks KM, Herdewijn P, Holliger P.
Nature. 2014 Dec 1. doi: 10.1038/nature13982. [Epub ahead of print]
Enzyme Design
Jef Akst, December 2014
The Scientist,
available from:
http://www.the-scientist.com//?articles.view/articleNo/41570/title/Enzyme-Design/
Fail-safe containment strategy for GMOs?
Two research teams - one led by George Church at Harvard Medical School and the other by Farren Isaacs at Yale University – have published the creation of so-called genetically recoded organisms (GROs). The groups have designed replacement codons to incorporate a synthetic amino acid, and engineered proteins essential to the organism to rely upon the artificial amino acid for proper function.
According to the authors, these auxotrophic GROs possess alternative genetic codes that impart genetic isolation by impeding horizontal gene transfer and now depend on the use of synthetic biochemical building blocks, advancing orthogonal barriers between engineered organisms and the environment. They exhibit unprecedented resistance to evolutionary escape through mutagenesis and horizontal gene transfer. This work provides a foundation for safer GMOs that are isolated from natural ecosystems by a reliance on synthetic metabolites.
Biocontainment of genetically modified organisms by synthetic protein design.
Mandell DJ, Lajoie MJ, Mee MT, Takeuchi R, Kuznetsov G, Norville JE, Gregg CJ, Stoddard BL, Church GM.
Nature. 2015 Jan 21. doi: 10.1038/nature14121. [Epub ahead of print]
Recoded organisms engineered to depend on synthetic amino acids.
Rovner AJ, Haimovich AD, Katz SR, Li Z, Grome MW, Gassaway BM, Amiram M, Patel JR, Gallagher RR, Rinehart J, Isaacs FJ.
Nature. 2015 Jan 21. doi: 10.1038/nature14095. [Epub ahead of print]
GMO “Kill Switches”
Kerry Grens, January 2015
The Scientist
Available from:
http://www.the-scientist.com//?articles.view/articleNo/41954/title/GMO–Kill-Switches-/