Scientists Unlock Microbial Stress Responses with Advanced Gene Silencing

Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Colorado Boulder used a gene-silencing tool and a large library of molecular guides to understand how photosynthetic bacteria adapt to light and temperature changes. They found that even partial suppression of certain genes yielded big benefits in modifying the stress response of wild microbes.  

This powerful technique delivers a faster, more comprehensive way to influence microbial traits for biotechnology, providing more insights into gene functions than traditional genome editing and accelerating our ability to augment microbes to produce fuels, chemicals and materials, said ORNL’s Carrie Eckert.

Scientists applied 10 signaling molecules called guide RNAs to every gene in a cyanobacteria’s genome rather than the five or fewer molecules typically used, a total of nearly 33,000 guide RNAs. Using a tool called CRISPR interference, they identified genes whose suppression led to improved growth under challenging conditions. Researchers are applying the technique to optimize previously identified microbes used to make biofuels and bioproducts.