The Sc2.0 project continues to work
The team of the international project Sc2.0 has published a report on a new study
China, March 9, 2017. The team of the international project for the study of the synthetic genome of yeast fungi (project Sc2.0) announced the completion of the primary processing and synthesis of five more chromosomes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, namely chromosomes II, V, VI, X and XII. The researchers also performed an in-depth, multidimensional analysis of the yeast strain and received confirmation that the phenotype of the synthetic strain corresponds to that found in the natural environment. The BGI research team, one of the Chinese participants in the project, led the process of processing and synthesizing chromosome II with a length of 770 thousand nucleotide pairs (Kbp) and transformed it into a yeast cell, resulting in a synthetic strain corresponding to the wild one in terms of viability. The full report on the conducted research is published as the title article in a special issue of Synthetic Yeast Genome edition Science from March 9 of this year.
After the revolutionary work on the synthesis of the mycoplasma genome in 2010, the Sc2.0 project represents another outstanding undertaking in the field of synthetic genomics research. The Sc2.0 project was formed by a consortium of a dozen leading laboratories in the USA, Great Britain, China, France, Singapore and Australia with an ambitious goal of obtaining the first synthetic yeast genome (16 chromosomes, ~14 Mbp) by 2018. With the support of the Chinese National Program for the Development and Creation of High Technologies (Program "863"), scientists from three leading research institutions in China – BGI, Tianjin University and Tsinghua University – made a key contribution to the implementation of this project. Initiator and head of Sc2.0, Prof. Jef D. Boeke noted (in a press release, The international Sc2.0 Project is on track to build the world's first synthetic yeast genome - VM): "Cooperation with our Chinese colleagues from BGI, Tianjin University and Tsinghua had a transformational effect on the Sc2.0 project. The resources that we can acquire for the needs of implementing this large-scale and extremely complex project through the attracted grants, state-of-the-art equipment and, most importantly, human capital in the person of the biggest innovators of the Sc2.0 project are simply amazing."
The BGI Institute, as a member of the Chinese team, led the process of processing and synthesis of chromosome II (770 Kb long). The resulting strain demonstrates viability as close as possible to wild-type indicators. BGI specialists applied a "trans-ohmic" approach to identify the genotype-phenotype correlation of a synthetic yeast strain at the phenotypic, genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic levels. Yue Shen, the first author of the scientific work synII and director of the Genomic Synthesis and Editing Platform at the Chinese National Gene Bank, said: "The Sc2.0 project not only contributes to the rapid development of technologies, but also provides us with the opportunity to cooperate with the world's leading experts, jointly studying genomic synthesis technologies. To date, we have a deeper understanding of the yeast model organism, which helps us to explore its potential in the industrial application field."
The team also collaborated with specialists from the University of Edinburgh on testing physiological functions, including cell reproduction and division. The results of the conducted studies show that the artificial genome of S.cerevisiae is easily modifiable and has a high flexibility of adding and removing DNA elements. The successful reconstruction of the eukaryotic genome of S.cerevisiae serves as another milestone on the way to the creation of a synthetic life form following the synthesis of the prokaryotic genome. One of the responsible authors of synII's scientific work and the head of the University of Edinburgh team, Dr. Cai Yizhi (Yizhi Cai), agreed with this point of view: "This is an important achievement in the field of synthetic biology and biotechnology. The success of the project demonstrates our extensive abilities in bioengineering at the chromosomal level, but it would not have been possible without fruitful cooperation between international Sc2.0 teams. I look forward to continuing to work together with this wonderful team to complete the synthesis of the entire yeast genome in the coming years."
In 2014, the first of 16 chromosomes was synthesized, thereby initiating this process. The next step required the joint synthesis of the other 15 chromosomes needed to create the first fully synthetic yeast genome, with the participation of all international experts. And today the Sc2.0 project has reached another significant milestone. The Sc2.0 team of scientists is confident that by reconstructing the genome of S.cerevisiae they will be able to penetrate deep into the understanding of biological mechanisms and reactions of organisms, as well as their adaptability and evolutionary processes in different environments. They hope that the results of the project will help the world solve major problems related to health, food, energy and ecology.
Obviously, this breakthrough serves as a great inspiration for an international team of experts. It once again demonstrates the potential of international cooperation within the framework of a mega-scale scientific project and the advantages of integrating resources and specializations, simplifying the implementation of previously impossible tasks. Quoting the words of the responsible author of synII's scientific work, co-founder and chairman of BGI, Prof. Yan Huanming Yang: "The breakthroughs achieved in recent years during the implementation of this project show the importance of international cooperation in science. This international project provides our young team with an excellent and truly unique chance to improve their knowledge and form their own concept for the development of this industry, as well as to join the spirit of international partnership."
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10.03.2017