Intrinsic biocontainment: Multiplex genome safeguards combine transcriptional and recombinational control of essential yeast genes

Abstract

The advance of biotechnology opens up greater possibilities of bioterror and bioerror. Here, we propose multiplexed safeguard switches rooted in the development of foundational genomic, regulatory, and metabolic technologies. Safeguard switches can be regulated by submicromolar small molecule(s) and combined in a modular fashion. The resulting safeguard strains show high fitness and low reversion rates. Moreover, two distinct classes of safeguard switches are orthogonal, providing a potential fail-safe mechanism. The safeguard technologies provide a practical and generic approach to containing engineered microbes within defined laboratory and/or industrial environments, and can in principle be used in the field as well.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Jan 26, 2015
Source ID
10.1073/pnas.1424704112

Entities

People

  • Alba Ubide
  • Giovanni Stracquadanio
  • Haiping Hao
  • Jef Boeke
  • Joel S. Bader
  • Katrina Caravelli
  • Neta Agmon
  • Woo Jin Choi
  • Yizhi Cai

Organizations

  • Johns Hopkins University
  • New York University
  • University of Edinburgh

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Defense Technology Research and Development.
  • Distributed Systems and Data Platform Development
  • Molecular Genetics

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology