A
strong prospect for the utilization of synthetic gene networks in the context
of not only biotechnology, but also medical diagnosis now exists. Engineers
have been able to utilize these networks to imitate gene circuits and
components of the biological cell for the purpose of research. They can use the
synthetic gene networks to direct gene activity, and identify nucleic acids and
other relevant molecules. Thus far, there has only been utilization of such a
technology in the laboratory. This is due to factors related to safety of this
biotechnology, as well as, lack of application in other settings.
As published by
Cell Press in the journal Cell,
scientists have developed a new type of synthetic gene network that may be safe
and practical for use outside of the laboratory. James Collins and other
researchers at Harvard University have made progress in the use of synthetic
gene networks by creating a paper-based system that does not possess cells, and
can be activated safely by the simple act of adding water to the paper. The
researchers have tested various clinical applications of this paper-based
synthetic gene network for purposes of identification of molecules that are of
interest in the field of medicine. They were able to come up with sensors that
harness the capacity to recognize molecules of RNA that were produced from
genes that allow for the quality of antibacterial resistance in bacteria. They
were also able to produce sensors that possessed the ability to detect
molecules of RNA that coded for proteins from two particular versions of the
Ebola virus. These sensors proved effective in identification when freeze-dried
to the paper. This proves significant for clinical applications in the form of
diagnosis methodology.
I found this article
to be quite interesting due to the transition of a technology once only
applicable in laboratory research to one that possesses excellent application
to the medical industry. Before reading this article, I was unaware of the
ability of engineers to utilize synthetic gene networks to imitate gene
circuits and cell components. I find it absolutely amazing that such a
biotechnology exists. With all of the recent press coverage regarding the Ebola
virus, I found it intriguing that this article mentions the ability for this
technology to allow for the detection of proteins found in the presence of
certain strains of the Ebola virus. I hope that this new paper-based method
will prove efficacious in diagnosis procedures in the future.
Related Pages: http://phys.org/news/2014-09-protein-secrets-ebola-virus.htm
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