Researchers have engineered bacteria to synthesize an amino acid that contains a rare functional group that others have shown to have implications in the regulation of our immune system. The researchers also taught a single bacterial strain to create the amino acid and place it at specific sites within target proteins. These findings provide a foundation for developing unique vaccines and immunotherapies in the future. The Kunjapur Lab uses tools from synthetic biology and genetic engineering to create micro-organisms that can synthesize different types of compounds and molecules, especially ones with functional groups or properties that are not well represented in nature.
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Source: ScienceDaily