Demonstration of horizontal gene transfer from genetically engineered Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP1 to wild-type E. coli DH5α.

Synthetic biology with genetically engineered (GE) cyanobacteria has the potential to produce valuable products such as biofuels. However, it is also essential to assess the potential risks of synthetic biology technology before it can be widely used. In order to address key concerns posed by the application of synthetic biology to microorganisms, studies were designed to monitor the horizontal transfer of engineered genes from GE cyanobacteria Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP1 to Escherichia coli through co-incubation.