Tumors, cells ‘hack’ to beat cancer – BBC

Could become much simpler reprogram cells (for example, a bacterium) to let them perform certain tasks. A major advance in this direction have scored scientists at MIT in Boston, led by Alec Nielsen, who made a real “software” to this end, publishing their study in the journal Science. What did they do in practice? They have inserted into a bacterium (E. coli) DNA sequences that make it able to “react” according to specific external stimuli (which could consist in the light, in the concentration of some substance, or other). So far nothing unusual. The novelty is that the American researchers have developed a real programming language to achieve these sequences. “This is not a spectacular advance from the strictly scientific viewpoint, but rather from that technology,” explains Andrea Califano, Chairman of System Biology department of Columbia University in New York. “The objective that has been reached is to be able to write on your computer, with a programming language, the Verilog , which in a” computer environment “called Cello , a program which is then converted into a sequence of DNA bases, which is sent in the laboratory, where it is synthesized concretely, to then be inserted into the cell. It’s a little ‘how to switch from the transistor, the integrated circuit. In fact, with this system you can put together of different DNA sequences, were individually validated. ”

killer cells

There has been talk of cells that could be modified to kill those of tumori.È possible? “One of the most likely uses of this system is to transform the cells in biosensors,” Califano continues, “then educate them in order to understand if there are signs of the presence of cancer cells and release, for example, a virus that kills.”

Synthetic biology

“We are faced a breakthrough in one of the streets of synthetic biology, one that aims to draw biological circuits, “explains Carlo Alberto Redi, director of the biology laboratory of the university’s development of Pavia. «Other strands, such as that followed by Craig Venter, are intended, for example, to the realization of minimal genomes, with currently more practical implications. In any case it is a remarkable example of convergent technologies, because mutual electronic engineering methods and apply them to synthetic biology. ” “I also think so,” concludes Redi, “the main purpose of American scientists is to design biosensors. And this method could shorten much time in the future to make progress in this area. “