Redesigned organelles turn into cell factories for biofuels and vaccines

In the United Kingdom, University of Kent researchers in the School of Biosciences teamed up with other university researchers in England to develop a new method that manipulates organelles to create cell factories for biofuels and vaccine production.

“To create the reproductive cell factories, the researchers improved on systems within cells that enable the synthesis of nanoreactors within cells,” according to Electronics 360. “The cells can then convert sugar into fuel or even convert nano-particles within the proteins to create vaccines. To do this, the team redesigned and re-engineered organelles so they can be easily manipulated, turning the bacteria into cell factories.”

Kent’s Dr Matt Lee, a lead scientist on the project, told Electronics 360, “This breakthrough could open up the possibility of utilizing these organelles for a wide variety of applications, including the generation of biofuels, as well as for drug delivery and vaccine development. It demonstrates the power of synthetic biology to help achieve useful applications in biotechnology.”