Syn57 is a lab-made version of Escherichia coli engineered to use only 57 codons instead of the canonical 64. The genome was redesigned by dividing it into 38 segments of roughly 100,000 bases, assembling pieces in yeast, and inserting them into E. coli with uREXER, a method that combines CRISPR-Cas9 and other tools. Problematic regions were resolved by altering gene sequences, resolving overlapping genes, and selective codon swaps. The reduced code eliminates redundant instructions while maintaining function, frees codons for synthetic amino acids and novel compounds, increases viral resistance, and lowers the risk of genetic exchange with natural organisms, enabling new medicines and materials.
These freed-up codons open the door to entirely new possibilities, allowing scientists to create proteins and synthetic compounds that nature has never produced. Syn57's unusual genetic code also makes it resistant to viruses, which rely on the standard DNA language to hijack cells. And because its code is so different, it is less likely to mix with natural organisms, easing safety concerns. This breakthrough could also pave the way for new medicines, advanced materials and synthetic lifeforms beyond anything seen in nature.
They built each piece in yeast and then inserted it into E coli using a method called uREXER, which combines CRISPR-Cas9 and other tools to swap in synthetic DNA in one step. Some genome regions slowed growth or resisted changes, but the team solved these issues by adjusting gene sequences, untangling overlapping genes, and carefully choosing which codons to swap. Step by step, the fragments were stitched together into the final, fully synthetic bacterium.
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