Scientists take first step towards designing synthetic bugs
In a historic breakthrough in the creation of synthetic bugs, a team of scientists have claimed that they were able to transform bacteria from one species to the other by changing its complete genome structure, according to a report published in the journal Science.
The team was led by Craig Venter, who was involved during the process of mapping the human genome. Venter hailed the success of the experiment, terming it as a first step towards creating artificial bacteria that are beneficial to humans.
"This is equivalent to changing a Macintosh computer to a PC by inserting a new piece of software. I think eventually we could make artificial cells. This is a first step", Venter said.
Researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute in Rockville, Maryland extracted the naturally-occurring DNA from a single-celled bacterium known as Mycoplasma mycoides. The scientists then went on to add two new genes in the DNA, one which would provide antibiotic resistance to the receiver while the other would change the color of the bacteria to blue.
The DNA was then injected into a closely related microbe called M. Capricolum and the bacteria were left exposed to an antibiotic. After a period of four days, scientists found a number of blue bacteria colonies appearing in the test tube. When analyzed, they were unable to find the receiver bacteria's genetic material.
"That chromosome was transplanted, inserted through the cell walls, the cell membrane of a second species and, after several days of growth and cell division, the original chromosome in the cell disappears and we have cells containing only the transplanted chromosome", Venter announced.
However his institute is in dark as to why or where the receiver bacteria's genetic material disappeared. John Glass, who worked on the project, termed the process as "extremely inefficient", stating that just one in 150,000 bacteria will be able to successfully accept the new genetic material.
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