Scientists engineer first semisynthetic organism with three-base-pair DNA
(Worthy News) – Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) claim to have created the first stable semisynthetic organism with extra bases added to its genetic code. The single-celled organism is also able to continually replicate the synthetic base pair as it divides, which could mean that future synthetic organisms may be able to carry extra genetic information in their DNA sequences indefinitely.
The team from TSRI have added two synthetic bases that they call “X” and “Y” into the genetic code of a E.coli carrier organism – a single-cell bacteria – and then chemically tweaked it to live, replicate, and survive with the extra DNA molecules intact.
“We’ve made this semisynthetic organism more life-like,” said Professor Floyd Romesberg, senior author of the new study. “We can now get the light of life to stay on. That suggests that all of life’s processes can be subject to manipulation.” [ Source ]
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