Scientists have rewritten the genome of an Escherichia coli bacterium, reducing it from 64 genetic codes to just 57, using computer-aided design. The goal was to prove feasibility, but this new strain, called Syn57, has potential commercial uses.
According to Wesley Robertson at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK, the team’s achievement is significant. With modifications, Syn57 could be made resistant to viral infections, making it ideal for industrial protein production, particularly for medicines, food, and cosmetics.
Viruses rely on host cells to produce proteins, so altering the genetic code can disrupt this process. Further tweaks could allow Syn57 to create proteins containing up to 27 different amino acids, compared to natural proteins with only 20.
This breakthrough is possible because each set of three DNA letters (codon) instructs protein-making factories on which amino acids to add and when to stop. The new strain’s design enables scientists to produce synthetic proteins with unique properties, expanding their capabilities beyond what’s possible with normal proteins.
Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2490640-e-coli-genome-has-been-remade-with-101000-changes-to-its-dna