Researchers have succeeded in sequencing the complete genome of the bacterium Clostridium autoethanogenum, a bacterium used to produce fuel and chemicals from a variety of raw materials, including gases emitted from biomass and industrial waste
[by Dr. Nachmani Moshe]
Researchers have succeeded in sequencing the complete genome of the bacterium Clostridium autoethanogenum, a bacterium used to produce fuel and chemicals from a variety of raw materials, including gases emitted from biomass and industrial waste.
Researchers from the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory are the first team to sequence the complete genome of the bacterium Clostridium autoethanogenum, a bacterium used to produce fuel and chemicals from a variety of raw materials, including gases emitted from biomass and industrial waste. The research was funded by the biotechnology company LanzaTech, located in Illinois and which holds a patent for an innovative process for carbon recycling. In this process, bacteria are used that are able to efficiently convert gases and carbon-rich residues from waste into fuels and useful chemicals.
The successful breeding of this bacterium, defined as a complex bacterium due to its large number of repetitive DNA units, has for a long time been of significant interest among biotechnology companies. "Thanks to sequencing the full genome, we will have a better understanding of the metabolism of this bacterium and the mutations that occur in it, information that will allow the company to make changes to the original strain and obtain improved strains that will be more effective in converting waste to fuel," said the lead researcher. "Our laboratory has rich experience in sequencing genomes, and we have the analytical capabilities to face this challenge."
The research team was able to sequence the more than 4.3 million DNA base pairs that make up the organism's genome using an advanced technology developed by Pacific Biosciences (PacBio), a technology known as RS-II long-read sequencing.
Although this method struggles with high error rates, it still holds the promise of advancing the biotechnology industry with the possibility of performing the floor of microorganisms with highly repetitive sequences, such as the current bacterium, in a reasonable time and cost.
The research team performed a larger number of measurements and used computer algorithms to correct for the errors associated with this technology. The team also made a comparison of the results of its measurement against the results obtained from two other short-read technologies, and concluded that these failed to perform the floor of the complete genome due to the repeating sequences of the bacteria, as expected.
"In our article, we made a comparison between three generations of floor technologies and explained why the technology we chose enabled the full genome floor," explained the lead researcher. "Currently, we are testing six different organisms using the experience we have gained with this technology."
As part of the research, information was also revealed regarding the genetic history of the bacterium Clostridium autoethanogenum with the use of short DNA sequences known as CRISPR systems, which preserve the genetic mutations such as those created during viral infection and passed on to future generations of the bacterium.
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To Moshe Shalom:
The researchers explain in the article that it is difficult to decipher a genome with many repetitions.
An article appears with the section "They succeeded in sequencing the complete genome of the bacterium Clostridium autoethanogenum, a bacterium used to produce fuel and chemicals from a variety of raw materials, including gases emitted from biomass and industrial waste." Three times in a row. This makes it difficult for the reader to follow what is written. Our brains aren't built for that, and it's annoying. (For ADD like me it's absolutely crazy).
Even in biblical poetry where there are only two repetitions of the same theme in each sentence, synonymous words are used and not the same words.
Unfortunately, the problem is widespread in a certain type of articles, even in English.
"The floor"? What happened to the "flooring"? Or to "the genome sequencer of...", "the genome sequence was deciphered..."?