CRISPR/Cas12a Multiplex Genome Editing of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the Creation of Yeast Pixel Art.

High efficiency, ease of use and versatility of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system has facilitated advanced genetic modification of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a model organism and workhorse in industrial biotechnology. CRISPR-associated protein 12a (Cas12a), an RNA-guided endonuclease with features distinguishable from Cas9 is applied in this work, further extending the molecular toolbox for genome editing purposes. A benefit of the CRISPR/Cas12a system is that it can be used in multiplex genome editing with multiple guide RNAs expressed from a single transcriptional unit (single CRISPR RNA (crRNA) array).

Algorithmic co-optimization of genetic constructs and growth conditions: application to 6-ACA, a potential nylon-6 precursor.

Optimizing bio-production involves strain and process improvements performed as discrete steps. However, environment impacts genotype and a strain that is optimal under one set of conditions may not be under different conditions. We present a methodology to simultaneously vary genetic and process factors, so that both can be guided by design of experiments (DOE).

Properties of Hemoglobin Decolorized with a Histidine-Specific Protease.

This study investigated the application of Aspergilloglutamic peptidase (AGP) on porcine hemoglobin decolorization. AGP from fungus Aspergillus niger is identified to possess a high preference towards the histidine residues. As histidine residues in hemoglobin are known to coordinate the heme group within the globin molecule, we therefore hypothesized that incubating hemoglobin with a histidine-specific protease would efficiently separate the non-heme peptides from the heme-enriched peptides with a minimum degree of hydrolysis.