Subtle Edits Yield Big Results in Microbes

Subtle Edits Yield Big Results in Microbes

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.

CRISPR-Based Gene Suppression In Microbes Drives Biotech Innovations | ORNL Research Highlights Key Advances

Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory used CRISPR interference with nearly 33,000 guide RNAs to identify genes in photosynthetic bacteria that, when partially suppressed, improved stress responses and accelerated biotechnology applications like biofuel production.