In January, Aldevron unveiled its Alchemy cell-free DNA technology. Instead of using cells to produce DNA, Alchemy relies on enzymes to produce linear DNA that serves as a template for the synthesis of mRNA via in vitro transcription. According to Aldevron, Alchemy produces linear DNA twice as fast as other methods. So far, this is a research-use-only technology, but a cGMP version for clinical applications will be available later this year.
In comparing DNA made with cells or synthetically, Robert Reames, Aldevron’s vice president of technical operations, says, “I sometimes make the analogy that it’s like the difference between an electric vehicle versus a combustible engine vehicle: they serve the same purpose in getting from point A to point B, but how they’re made is drastically different.”
That drastic difference in making the DNA provides a variety of benefits. “The entire upstream process basically goes away,” Reames explains. “So there’s no need to ferment within bacterial cells, no need to worry about removal of host-cell impurities—like endotoxins and chromosomal DNA—because it’s never there to begin with.”
Still, like all technologies, there’s room for improvement in the production of synthetic DNA. “Where I think synthetic needs to improve as a whole is around fidelity,” Reames says. “Bacteria do a really, really good job of keeping the sequence you want, the sequence that you get, and the fidelity of synthetic has a long way to go in regard to the fidelity of the sequence.”
In essence, synthetic methods make typos—putting in the wrong nucleotide—that need to be repaired. “Where the technology needs to improve is to not have those type of errors to begin with.” One way to do that will be with a better DNA polymerase that is involved in putting together the string of nucleotides. As Reames says, “We need to develop a typewriter that doesn’t make the errors.”
Still, for mRNA applications that need linear DNA, Reames emphasizes, synthetic manufacturing “is significantly simpler to manufacture.”
The post Aldevron Boosts the Bioproduction of Cell-Free DNA appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
In comparing DNA made with cells or synthetically, Robert Reames, Aldevron’s vice president of technical operations, says, “I sometimes make the analogy that it’s like the difference between an electric vehicle versus a combustible engine vehicle: they serve the same purpose in getting from point A to point B, but how they’re made is drastically different.”
Drastic difference
That drastic difference in making the DNA provides a variety of benefits. “The entire upstream process basically goes away,” Reames explains. “So there’s no need to ferment within bacterial cells, no need to worry about removal of host-cell impurities—like endotoxins and chromosomal DNA—because it’s never there to begin with.”
Still, like all technologies, there’s room for improvement in the production of synthetic DNA. “Where I think synthetic needs to improve as a whole is around fidelity,” Reames says. “Bacteria do a really, really good job of keeping the sequence you want, the sequence that you get, and the fidelity of synthetic has a long way to go in regard to the fidelity of the sequence.”
In essence, synthetic methods make typos—putting in the wrong nucleotide—that need to be repaired. “Where the technology needs to improve is to not have those type of errors to begin with.” One way to do that will be with a better DNA polymerase that is involved in putting together the string of nucleotides. As Reames says, “We need to develop a typewriter that doesn’t make the errors.”
Still, for mRNA applications that need linear DNA, Reames emphasizes, synthetic manufacturing “is significantly simpler to manufacture.”
The post Aldevron Boosts the Bioproduction of Cell-Free DNA appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.