“European scientists have created an Escherichia coli strain with a separate genome using chlorinated DNA. The genome should be unable to transfer back into unmodified bacteria, leading to what the researchers call a ‘genetic firewall’.”
First arsenic, now chlorine. In my grad school days, we were studying DNA-protein interactions by modifying specific atoms on the DNA. With this bacteria, it would be interesting to see how the overall biochemistry and enzymatic changes. Opens up a whole new way of studying biochemistry.
And I’d really like to know how they set up their continuous culture system.
