Designer cells controlled by synthetic genomes.

由合成基因组控制的设计细胞。

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-06172
• 负责人: Karas, Bogumil
• 金额: $ 3.42万
• 依托单位: University of Western Ontario
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=744084
• 关键词: Designer; cells; controlled; synthetic; genomes.

Research in my laboratory uses Synthetic Biology to solve some of the most pressing challenges of our times, such as increased demand for food, clean water, fuel, and crucial medicines. To achieve these goals, I am developing molecular tools for generating designer organisms that are programmed by synthetic genomes. DNA synthesis technology is predicted to become much more powerful and affordable in the near future, thanks to a new global collaborative effort named Genome Project write (GP-write). GP-write aims to invest up to $3 billion USD over the next ten years to reduce the cost of creating synthetic DNA. To take advantage of this rapidly advancing DNA synthesis technology, improved methods for moving and storing large synthetic DNA fragments need to be developed. Thus, I propose an efficient method for construction and installation of synthetic genomes into a cell's organelles, such as mitochondriathe cell's “power plant”and chloroplaststhe cell's light-harvesting factory used in photosynthesis. This research program will enable the production of organisms and technologies with greater value for Canadians: crop plants with new biological functions, such as nitrogen fixation, to reduce the need for fertilizers; algal strains with higher lipid content to provide a cheap source of biofuels; and medical treatments for diseases associated with damaged mitochondrial genomes, such as some cases of diabetes, deafness, and Parkinson's. Moreover, this project will provide cutting-edge Synthetic Biology training for a new generation of scientists in techniques such as molecular DNA cloning, DNA synthesis, and whole-genome transplantation. At the end of their training, my trainees will have the knowledge and experience to implement their own ideas for designer organisms, which will help furnish the development of new patented technologies and new biotech companies in Canada.

我实验室的研究使用合成生物学来解决我们时代的一些最紧迫的挑战，例如对食物、清洁水、燃料和关键药物的需求增加。为了实现这些目标，我正在开发分子工具，用于生成由合成基因组编程的设计有机体。DNA合成技术预计在不久的将来将变得更加强大和负担得起，这要归功于一项名为基因组项目编写(GP-WRITE)的新的全球合作努力。GP-WRITE的目标是在未来十年投资高达30亿美元，以降低制造合成DNA的成本。为了利用这种快速发展的DNA合成技术，需要开发改进的方法来移动和存储大的合成DNA片段。因此，我提出了一种有效的方法来构建合成基因组，并将其安装到细胞的细胞器中，例如线粒体是细胞的“动力工厂”，叶绿体是细胞用于光合作用的光收集工厂。这项研究计划将使加拿大人能够生产出对加拿大人具有更大价值的生物和技术：具有新的生物功能的农作物，如固氮，以减少对化肥的需求；具有更高脂肪含量的藻类菌株，以提供廉价的生物燃料来源；以及与受损的线粒体基因组相关的疾病的医疗治疗，如一些糖尿病、耳聋和帕金森氏症。此外，该项目将为新一代科学家提供尖端的合成生物学培训，如分子DNA克隆、DNA合成和全基因组移植等技术。在培训结束后，我的受训人员将拥有知识和经验来实施他们自己的设计者有机体的想法，这将有助于在加拿大发展新的专利技术和新的生物技术公司。