Synthetically programmed antioxidant delivery by a domesticated skin commensal
Guillermo Nevot1, Javier Santos-Moreno1, Nil Campamà-Sanz2
1Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain.
Cell Systems
|February 7, 2025
Summary
Researchers engineered Cutibacterium acnes bacteria as a novel delivery system for skin treatments. They developed genetic tools to modify the bacteria, creating a strain that secretes antioxidants to combat UV-induced oxidative stress.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Microbiology
- Dermatology
Background:
- Bacteria offer potential as dynamic therapeutic delivery systems.
- Cutibacterium acnes resides in hair follicles, making it a suitable candidate for skin applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a genetic engineering toolbox for Cutibacterium acnes.
- To demonstrate the utility of engineered C. acnes for dermal biotechnological applications.
Main Methods:
- Established basic gene expression tools for C. acnes.
- Implemented biocontainment strategies and markerless genetic engineering.
- Developed dynamic transcriptional regulation systems.
- Engineered an antioxidant-secreting C. acnes strain.
Main Results:
- Successfully created a versatile genetic toolbox for C. acnes.
- Demonstrated markerless genetic modification and dynamic gene expression control.
- The engineered strain effectively reduced oxidative stress in a UV-induced stress model.
Conclusions:
- The developed genetic toolbox enables engineering of Cutibacterium acnes.
- Engineered C. acnes shows promise for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents in the skin.
- This work paves the way for novel biotechnological applications in dermatology.
Keywords:
CRISPRiCutibacterium acnesSODauxotrophiesgenetic toolkitkeratinocytesmicrobiome engineeringplasmidskinsynthetic biologyMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:19Clinical Applications of Epidermal Stem Cells
2.7K
Epidermal stem cells (EpiSCs) are mainly located at the basal layer of the epidermis. These cells repair minor injuries of the skin and replace dead skin cells. However, EpiSCs’ cannot heal severe wounds such as major burns or those from diabetes or hereditary disorders. In such cases, culturing the epidermal stem cells from the patient is possible and has yielded successful treatment options, such as laboratory-grown skin grafts. These grafts are synthesized using a patient’s own...
2.7K
02:55Synthetic Biology
4.7K
Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary science that involves using principles from disciplines such as engineering, molecular biology, cell biology, and systems biology. It involves remodeling existing organisms from nature or constructing completely new synthetic organisms for applications such as protein or enzyme production, bioremediation, value-added macromolecule production, and the addition of desirable traits to crops, to name a few.
Golden rice
Golden rice is a genetically modified...
Golden rice
Golden rice is a genetically modified...
4.7K
01:12Renewal of Skin Epidermal Stem Cells
2.4K
The skin is divided into epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, the skin's outermost, middle, and inner layers. The human epidermal layer regularly undergoes renewal, where old, dead cells are replaced by new cells. Epidermal stem cells or EpiSCs divide and differentiate to restore the lost cells. For the renewal process, some EpiSCs continuously self-renew. In contrast, few others differentiate into transit-amplifying cells, which later form prickle or spinous cells, followed by granular...
2.4K