Research

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Synthetic Biology underpins advances in the bioeconomy

Biological systems - including the simplest cells - exhibit a broad range of functions to thrive in their environment. Research in the Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology is focused on the possibility of engineering the underlying biochemical processes to solve many of the challenges facing society, from healthcare to sustainable energy. In particular, we model, analyse, design and build biological and biochemical systems in living cells and/or in cell extracts, both exploring and enhancing the engineering potential of biology. 

As part of our research we develop novel methods to accelerate the celebrated Design-Build-Test-Learn synthetic biology cycle. As such research in the Centre for Synthetic Biology highly multi- and interdisciplinary covering computational modelling and machine learning approaches; automated platform development and genetic circuit engineering ; multi-cellular and multi-organismal interactions, including gene drive and genome engineering; metabolic engineering; in vitro/cell-free synthetic biology; engineered phages and directed evolution; and biomimetics, biomaterials and biological engineering.

Publications

Citation

BibTex format

@article{Moore:2017:10.1002/biot.201600678,
author = {Moore, SJ and Lai, HE and Needham, H and Polizzi, KM and Freemont, PS},
doi = {10.1002/biot.201600678},
journal = {Biotechnology Journal},
title = {Streptomyces venezuelae TX-TL - a next generation cell-free synthetic biology tool},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/biot.201600678},
volume = {12},
year = {2017}
}
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RIS format (EndNote, RefMan)

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Streptomyces venezuelae is a promising chassis in synthetic biology for fine chemical and secondary metabolite pathway engineering. The potential of S. venezuelae could be further realized by expanding its capability with the introduction of its own in vitro transcription-translation (TX-TL) system. TX-TL is a fast and expanding technology for bottom-up design of complex gene expression tools, biosensors and protein manufacturing. Herein, we introduce a S. venezuelae TX-TL platform by reporting a streamlined protocol for cell-extract preparation, demonstrating high-yield synthesis of a codon-optimized sfGFP reporter and the prototyping of a synthetic tetracycline-inducible promoter in S. venezuelae TX-TL based on the tetO-TetR repressor system. The aim of this system is to provide a host for the homologous production of exotic enzymes from Actinobacteria secondary metabolism in vitro. As an example, the authors demonstrate the soluble synthesis of a selection of enzymes (12-70 kDa) from the Streptomyces rimosus oxytetracycline pathway.
AU  - Moore,SJ
AU  - Lai,HE
AU  - Needham,H
AU  - Polizzi,KM
AU  - Freemont,PS
DO  - 10.1002/biot.201600678
PY  - 2017///
SN  - 1860-7314
TI  - Streptomyces venezuelae TX-TL - a next generation cell-free synthetic biology tool
T2  - Biotechnology Journal
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/biot.201600678
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28139884
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/44768
VL  - 12
ER  -
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