Academics at Waterloo University have bioengineered a modified bacterium, *Clostridium sporogenes*, to eradicate cancerous growths. This was achieved through the incorporation of a gene that confers resistance to oxygen, coupled with a quorum sensing system to regulate microbial multiplication.
A cooperative group of investigators has conceived a novel approach for cancer treatment, relying on specifically “engineered” microbes capable of consuming tumors from within. By employing the bacterium *Clostridium sporogenes*, which thrives in oxygen-deprived conditions, the researchers could guide it precisely into the heart of dense tumors. This has been documented by Science Daily, reports UNN .
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The main challenge in utilizing these soil-based bacteria was their demise upon exposure to oxygenated areas surrounding the tumor, hindering complete ablation of cancerous cells.
To navigate this obstacle, Professor Marc Aucoin's group introduced a gene conferring oxygen resistance, originating from a related organism. To oversee this activity, the scientists implemented a quorum sensing mechanism – effectively a “circuit” comprising DNA sequences that trigger the bacteria’s protective mechanisms only when their concentration inside the tumor reaches a predetermined threshold.
Synthetic biology in the service of medicine and future trials
During the investigative work, the researchers verified the system’s operation by programming the microorganisms to synthesize a fluorescent protein upon activation of the required genes.
According to Professor Brian Ingalls, this methodology facilitates the construction of biological architectures exhibiting predictable conduct, forestalling bacterial proliferation in oxygen-saturated regions of the organism, such as the circulatory system. The impending phase of the undertaking involves merging the control system and resistance genes into a unified organism for preliminary assessments in living model systems.