Scientists Engineered “Semi-Synthetic” Bacteria with Six-Letter Genetic Code
In a medical breakthrough, a group of scientists successfully engineered new semi-synthetic bacteria that can pave revolutionary pathways for new life formation. By tinkering with genetic material, the scientists have succeeded in developing a new type of life with moderately synthetic DNA. The “Semi-Synthetic” Bacteria having Six-Letter Genetic Code is capable of forming and functioning new life.
The brains behind this discovery are expecting the findings to set the foundations for endeavors to instruct life with new outlines and functions. The new study report, published in the PNAS journal stated that, chromosome code of all living organisms is formed from four base “letters” which pair off to configure a twofold helix: G, T, C, A. The genetic code of life has only four natural bases, which pair up to create two base duos – the treads of the DNA hierarchy, which have simply been reformed for creating lives – from bacteria to humans.
But the E. coli microbes with synthetic DNA boast an extra, lab-configured “base pair” of molecules that the scientists are expecting to be programmable so the organism will be able to generate new types of proteins that can later be made into medicines and drugs.
This is the first time that scientists were able to create a stable semi-synthetic organism – a single-celled bacterium – which later may be helpful for the formation and composition of effective drug alongside some other crucial applications. The research paper was published on 22nd January 2017, Monday in the clinical journal ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences’.
The first creation organism with synthetic DNA bases by the researchers from the Scripps Research Institute dates by nearly three years ago. But those organisms used to peter out quickly and were unable to regularly get ahead of the new genetic bases during reproduction. But the new E. coli microbes are the first stable semi-synthetic organisms that are capable of carving up and thriving like standard while moving ahead of the synthetic material.
According to the reports, published on Monday, the new microbes are the primary rung to generate organisms with entirely unnatural characteristics and qualities, which are not found elsewhere in nature. The discovery, expected by the researcher may lay the foundation for accomplishing the synthetic biology’s chief goal – the formation of new life forms and functions.
