Venter creates synthetic genome in one step
December 7, 2008 by Grace Ibay
Filed under Artificial life, DNA
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And we thought artificial life was in the distant future… J. Craig Venter and his institute has successfully manufactured the first synthetic yeast organism, in one step!
The key? "Co-transformation of 25 different pieces at once" writes lead author Daniel Gibson, a JCVI scientist, in the advance issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
“Thus, large DNA molecules can be assembled much more rapidly from synthetic or naturally occurring sub-fragments than with any other system described previously.”
J. Craig Venter Institute has dedicated its efforts to creating a synthetic organism, and this new finding is one step closer to that goal. Synthetic Genomics, founded by Venter, is reportedly using the new method to come up with biofuels and other biochemicals using synthetic biology.
Size of the Minimal Genome
April 3, 2006 by Lei
Filed under General Genetics and Health
How many genes does it take to be alive? In humans, it certainly takes more than one, but probably less than 25,000. Basic life forms such as bacteria may require twice as many “minimal genes” as previously thought.
By knocking out genes one at a time from a microbe’s genome, scientists identify which of the genes cause death and total them up for the minimal genome. But microbes are a little more complex than realized and are able to compensate for missing genes with back-up genes that can manufacture the proteins needed to keep the organism alive.
The novelty of these kinds of studies is undeniable. But more interestingly, genes that have been identified as being indispensible to life could hold the key to longevity or other critical physiologic functions.
BBC News, April 3, 2006
