Scientists at the University of Waterloo are developing a\nrevolutionary method to combat cancer, using genetically engineered\nbacteria to consume tumours from within. This strategy leverages\nmicrobes that naturally thrive in oxygen-deprived environments, making\nthe dense core of tumours an ideal target.<\/p>\n
The core of this approach is Clostridium sporogenes, a soil bacterium\nthat can only survive in the absence of oxygen. Because the dense core\nof tumours consists of dead cells and lacks oxygen, this area becomes a\nperfect breeding ground for the microbe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bacterial spores enter the tumour, find a nutrient-rich,\noxygen-free environment that these organisms love, and then start\nconsuming the nutrients and growing,\u201d said Dr.\u00a0Marc Aucoin, a professor\nof chemical engineering at Waterloo. \u201cSo, we are now colonizing that\ncentral space, and the bacteria are essentially cleaning out the\ntumour.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, a major challenge arises when the bacteria spread to the\nouter edges of the tumour, which are exposed to oxygen, causing them to\ndie before the cancer is completely eradicated. To overcome this, the\nresearch team inserted a gene from a related bacterium that is more\ntolerant to oxygen.<\/p>\n
To ensure safety for patients, the team had to ensure that this\n\u201coxygen-resistant\u201d feature is inactive when the bacteria are in the\noxygen-rich bloodstream. They used a natural bacterial communication\nprocess called quorum sensing.<\/p>\n
This system works like an automatic switch. The bacteria release\nchemical signals that amplify as their numbers increase. Only when the\nnumber of bacteria inside the tumour is large enough does the signal\nreach a level that turns on the oxygen-resistant gene.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsing synthetic biology, we built something that is analogous to an\nelectrical circuit, but instead of wires, we use pieces of DNA,\u201d\nexplained Dr.\u00a0Brian Ingalls, a professor of applied mathematics. \u201cEach\npart has its own job. If assembled correctly, they form a system that\nworks in a predictable way.\u201d<\/p>\n
In initial tests, the team successfully programmed the bacteria to\nproduce a green fluorescent protein to confirm that the system is active\nat the desired time. The next step is to combine this control system\ninto a single bacterium for testing in pre-clinical trials.<\/p>\n
This research is the result of a cross-disciplinary collaboration,\nranging from engineering and mathematics to life sciences. The project,\ninitially spearheaded by PhD student Bahram Zargar, has now evolved into\na strategic partnership between the university and the Center for\nResearch on Environmental Microbiology (CREM Co Labs) in Toronto to\ntransform this laboratory discovery into a real medical solution for\ncancer patients. (Science Daily\/Z-2)<\/p>\n
The biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences announced the birth of\nthree genetically engineered puppies, hailed as the revival of the\nwoolly mammoth, which went extinct 10,000 years ago.<\/p>\n
Towana Looney, a woman from Alabama, made history as the recipient of\na genetically engineered pig kidney transplant with the longest survival\ntime to date.<\/p>\n
However, in addition to providing various benefits, the application\nof biotechnology also has negative impacts. What are they? Here is the\nexplanation.<\/p>\n
IN addition to the field of agriculture, biotechnology is also widely\nused in the fields of animal husbandry, environment, and forensics.\nThere are cloning techniques, bioremediation, and DNA\nfingerprinting.<\/p>\n
Modern biotechnology in agriculture is carried out by applying\ngenetic engineering techniques, which involve manipulating the gene\nstructure of an organism.<\/p>\n
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