Genetic Biocontainment Systems for the Safe Use of Engineered Microorganisms
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pISSN 1226-8372 eISSN 1976-3816
REVIEW PAPER
Genetic Biocontainment Systems for the Safe Use of Engineered Microorganisms Donghyeon Kim and Jeong Wook Lee
Received: 8 March 2020 / Revised: 24 May 2020 / Accepted: 26 May 2020 © The Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering and Springer 2020
Abstract Recent advances in genetic engineering and synthetic biology have enabled a variety of genetically modified microorganisms (GMOs) designed for open environmental applications. The use of GMOs in these applications, however, raised concerns about the spread of artificial biological matters into the natural environment. To address the issue, genetic biocontainment system has emerged as a way to prevent unauthorized propagation of GMOs and genetic materials into the ecosystem. In this review, we introduce biocontainment systems that control the proliferation of microorganisms and the release of genetic materials, focusing primarily on genetic means to eliminate cells and DNA. We outline each biocontainment system with representative examples, highlighting its advantages and disadvantages. We also discuss future challenges that genetic biocontainment systems should overcome for practical uses. Keywords: synthetic biology, biocontainment, genetically modified organism, auxotrophy, xenobiology
1. Introduction Microorganisms can be used for a variety of purposes in food [1], pharmaceutical [2-5], and environmental applications [6-10]. In recent years, the industrially useful microDonghyeon Kim, Jeong Wook Lee* Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea Tel: +82-54-279-2337; Fax: +82-54-279-5528 E-mail: [email protected] Jeong Wook Lee School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea
organisms have been genetically modified to enhance the activity and property. Advances in genetic engineering, metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology have provided various tools to modify such microorganisms in a rational and sophisticated manner. Also, technological advances have extended the use of engineered microorganisms to a broader range of applications [11-13]. However, there is growing concern about using such genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the natural environment. Although there is no direct evidence that GMOs disturb the natural ecosystem, the release of GMOs could interact with the environment and may hurt the ecosystem [14]. Some laboratory engineered pathogenic viruses and bacteria that are deleterious to humans can be a substantial threat upon their accidental release [15]. To address the concerns, genetic biocontainment system has emerged as a genetic measure to confine GMOs only in a designated environment and to prevent the engineered organisms from entering other unauthorized environments [16-20]. Since the first genetic biocontainment system was reported in 1987, various approaches have been proposed to prohibit the unauthorized release of engineered microorgan
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