Collaborative Research: Toward lifelike synthetic cells via engineered control of DNA replication

合作研究：通过 DNA 复制的工程控制打造逼真的合成细胞

• 批准号: 2124308
• 负责人: Matthew Lakin
• 金额: $ 41.41万
• 依托单位: University of New Mexico
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-08-15 至 2024-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2124308&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Toward; lifelike; synthetic

The ability of cells to reliably replicate and maintain genomic information is a key facet of life. Recapitulating these mechanisms is a critical step towards the development of autonomous synthetic cells that exhibit self-replication and stable propagation of their genetic information. To that end, this project creates a new synthetic mechanism for DNA replication control in synthetic cells that will open the door for new applications in biomedicine and biotechnology. This project carries out an integrated social science investigation into the current regulatory framework surrounding engineered synthetic cell technologies. This project also provides educational and technical training aimed at increasing the number and diversity of undergraduates and graduates pursuing careers in synthetic cell research. Public outreach is carried out in conjunction with local partners to increase public awareness of synthetic cell technologies. Natural cells have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to control DNA replication, to prevent the loss of critical genes while simultaneously preventing runaway replication. Analogous replication control mechanisms will be required for synthetic cells. While natural genome replication control systems are complex, plasmids provide a simple yet powerful and modular system for building synthetic replication control systems and modular genomes for synthetic cells. This project addresses the broad challenge of engineering DNA replication control mechanisms for synthetic cell systems. RNA engineering techniques are used to create modular and programmable synthetic plasmid replication control systems that function in both cells and cell-like systems. This project also studies how DNA replication can be utilized for novel biosensing applications. Biocontainment applications are investigated through an integrated social science investigation.This award is co-funded by the Systems and Synthetic Biology Cluster in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences and the Cellular and Biochemical Engineering Program in the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

细胞可靠复制和维持基因组信息的能力是生活的关键方面。概括这些机制是迈向发展自主合成细胞的关键一步，这些综合细胞表现出自我复制和稳定的遗传信息传播。为此，该项目为合成细胞中的DNA复制控制创造了一种新的合成机制，该机制将为生物医学和生物技术中的新应用打开大门。该项目对围绕工程合成细胞技术的当前监管框架进行了整合的社会科学调查。该项目还提供了旨在增加本科生和从事合成细胞研究职业的毕业生的数量和多样性的教育和技术培训。公共宣传是与当地合作伙伴一起进行的，以提高公众对合成细胞技术的认识。天然细胞已经发展出复杂的机制来控制DNA复制，以防止关键基因的丧失，同时防止复制失控。合成细胞需要类似的复制控制机制。虽然天然基因组复制控制系统是复杂的，但质粒提供了一个简单而强大的模块化系统，用于构建合成细胞的合成复制控制系统和模块化基因组。该项目解决了合成细胞系统的工程DNA复制控制机制的广泛挑战。 RNA工程技术用于创建模块化和可编程的合成质粒复制控制系统，该系统在细胞和细胞样系统中起作用。该项目还研究了如何将DNA复制用于新型的生物传感应用。生物膜维护应用的应用是通过一项综合社会科学调查进行的。该奖项由系统和合成生物学集群共同资助分子和细胞生物科学的部门以及细胞和生物化学工程计划，以化学，环境和运输系统的范围来表现NSF的基础，并在化学，环境和运输系统中进行了宣布，并以此为基础。更广泛的影响审查标准。