Synthetic Genome Created

(The First Self-Replicating Synthetic Bacterial Cell)

by Scientists at the J. Craig Venter Institute

Submitted to:
Mrs. Maria Divina P. Velasco
Submitted by:
Ma. Fornielynza A. Olita
BSN – 1B
Date submitted:
December 4, 2019
 After a 15-year marathon, researchers have created the first cell controlled by a synthetic
genome, reported online on May 20, 2010 at Science. The effort cost an estimated $40 million,
with 20 people working for more than a decade, according to Science. The advance, a landmark in
synthetic biology, could someday be used to engineer microbes for environmental or medical
applications.
With that 15 years of experiment since 1995 and estimated $40 million with approximately
24 of people, surprisingly the JCVI is a not-for-profit, genomic-focused basic research
organization. SGI has exclusive assignment of intellectual property rights on this work and has
filed approximately 13 patent application families to date.

In 2008, they created artificial chromosomes from the bacterium Mycoplasma genitalium
which they choose it because it is the smallest genome among free living organism with only
600,000 bases. The team is still working to boot up this first synthetic bacterial genome, but the
extremely slow growth rate of this organism makes experimentation very time consuming.

This organism’s slow growth also compelled us to resort to working with the faster growing
species Mycoplasma mycoides contain 1 million base genome. They ordered the pieces of that
genome from a DNA sequence manufacturer, then used yeast to stitch the pieces together into a
whole genome.

When the team first tried to transplant a natural chromosome from one bacterial species to
another, it didn't work. They soon realized the problem was methylation: The transplanted DNA
didn't have the same methylation patterns as the excised DNA, so the recipient cell's restriction
system chewed up the foreign DNA. "It took two years to solve that problem," said Venter. Later,
when the team had completed the synthetic genome of M. mycoides and tried to transplant it, again,
nothing happened. Thanks to a novel de-bugging system they developed to test individual pieces
of the synthetic DNA in a natural genome, the team found the problem -- a single base mistake.

The researchers transferred the synthetic M. mycoides genome into a close cousin M.
capricolum recipient cell, replacing the native DNA, and the cell successfully booted up the new
genome. The finished product was capable of replication and had all the expected properties of a
M. mycoides cell.
So, basically it is not considered to be “creating life from scratch” but rather, creating new
life out of already existing life using synthetic DNA to reprogram the cells to form new cells that
are specified by the synthetic DNA.
The reason that they construct the synthetic genome as they believe that the ability to “write
the genetic code” as they describe synthetic genomics research will enable a better understanding
of the fundamentals of living cells.
It’s quite good indeed because it will also enable us to direct cells and organisms to perform
jobs, such as creating clean water or new biofuels that natural species cannot currently do to the
needed scale and efficiencies as one of the possibilities that synthetic genome can make.
 All synthetic genomics work to date, both at the JCVI and elsewhere has focused on
microorganisms. It is anticipated that given how little is known about human biology that no
applications of this work will or should be attempted in humans.
Instead, the way that this research will impact human lives is through the numerous
applications such as new vaccines, pharmaceuticals, biofuels, etc. The good thing about this is it
will lead to new techniques and tools for advanced vaccine and pharmaceutical development and
will continue to enable the development of new biofuels and biochemicals. As well these
technologies could be used to create clean water, new sources of food, textiles, bioremediation,
etc.
It is helpful indeed that by this minimal bacteria cell, will enable a greater understanding
of the function of every gene in a cell and a new vision of cells as understandable machines
comprised of biological parts of known function. Also, the work to create a synthetic cell will have
a profound and positive impact on society in that it will enable a better understanding of the
fundamentals of biology and how life works. As for human, this may bring to a greater quality of
life as it contributes to the knowledge to the human lives.