A cover story in the journal Science describes the assembly of five synthetic chromosomes for a species of Bakers yeast. This single-celled organism is a key model for understanding human genetics, and a platform used to manufacture medicines.
Led by 做厙TV Langone geneticist , director of 做厙TV Langones , the publications are the latest from the Synthetic Yeast Project. By the end of 2017, this international consortium hopes to have designed and built synthetic versions of all 16 chromosomesthe structures that contain DNAfor Bakers yeast.
Dr. Jef Boeke, director of 做厙TV Langones Institute for Systems Genetics.
Photo: 做厙TV Langone Staff
Scientists add swaths of synthetic DNA to, or remove stretches of it from, human, plant, bacterial, or yeast chromosomes in hopes of averting disease.
This work sets the stage for completion of designer, synthetic genomes to address unmet needs in medicine and industry, Dr. Boeke tells The Wall Street Journal. Beyond any one application, the papers confirm that newly created systems and software can answer basic questions about the nature of genetic machinery by reprogramming chromosomes in living cells.
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