Scientist created world’s first stable semi-synthetic organism.

TNPSC Current Affairs January 28 2017

Scientist has created world’s first stable semi-synthetic organism neither fully organic nor fully artificial, but falls somewhere in between.

The team of Biochemist from the Scripps Research Institute has created the semisynthetic Organism has DNA made up of both natural and artificial bases- a single celled bacterium, which may help in drug discovery and other applications.

It is an Organism that relies on a artificial part to function as part of its essential biology _ said Floyd Rosemberg, Senior Researcher of the Project.

About Semi Synthetic Organism:

All DNA based living thing has a genetic code made up of four natural bases Adenine (A), Thymine (T), Guanine (G), Cytosine (C), these four letters (A,T,C and G) genetic code have two base pairs (A-T and C-G). Scientist has intervened and inserting synthetic X and bases into the genetic code of a single –celled bacteria.

The modified bacteria contains three base pairs (A-T,C-G and X-Y) which capable of retaining synthetic bases indefinitely when it divides

Although in 2014 they were incapable of keeping the pair stable indefinitely while dividing. Now they have successfully achieved the world’s first stable synthetic organism.

The modified bacteria contains three base pairs (A-T,C-G and X-Y) which capable of retaining synthetic bases indefinitely when it divides.