Bacterial biofilms are formed by the complex but ordered regulation of intra- or inter-cellular communication,... Show moreBacterial biofilms are formed by the complex but ordered regulation of intra- or inter-cellular communication,
environmentally responsive gene expression, and secretion of extracellular polymeric substances. Given the
robust nature of bio?lms due to the non-growing nature of bio?lm bacteria and the physical barrier provided by
the extracellular matrix, eradicating bio?lms is a very di?cult task to accomplish with conventional antibiotic
or disinfectant treatments. Synthetic biology holds substantial promise for controlling bio?lms by improving and
expanding existing biological tools, introducing novel functions to the system, and re-conceptualizing gene
regulation. This review summarizes synthetic biology approaches used to eradicate bio?lms via protein
engineering of bio?lm-related enzymes, utilization of synthetic genetic circuits, and the development of
functional living agents. Synthetic biology also enables bene?cial applications of bio?lms through the
production of biomaterials and patterning bio?lms with speci?c temporal and spatial structures. Advances in
synthetic biology will add novel bio?lm functionalities for future therapeutic, biomanufacturing, and
environmental applications. Sponsorship: NIH-R15AI130988, NSF CBET-1917130 Show less
The natural genetic code only allows for 20 standard amino acids in protein translation, but genetic code... Show moreThe natural genetic code only allows for 20 standard amino acids in protein translation, but genetic code
reprogramming enables the incorporation of non-standard amino acids (NSAAs). Proteins containing NSAAs provide
enhanced or novel properties and open diverse applications. With increased attention to the recent advancements
in synthetic biology, various improved and novel methods have been developed to incorporate single and multiple
distinct NSAAs into proteins. However, various challenges remain in regard to NSAA incorporation, such as low
yield and misincorporation. In this review, we summarize the recent efforts to improve NSAA incorporation by
utilizing orthogonal translational system optimization, cell-free protein synthesis, genomically recoded
organisms, artificial codon boxes, quadruplet codons, and orthogonal ribosomes, before closing with a discussion
of the emerging applications of NSAA incorporation. Sponsorship: NIH R15AI130988 Show less
