The efficiency and ease of use of the CRISPR-Cas9 system has led to its rapid adoption as a robust and versatile genome editing tool. However, limitations remain - not least the constraint of the Cas9 protospacer adjacent motif (PAM), which limits the locations that can be targeted.    One way to overcome this is to explore the natural variation afforded by other CRISPR-associated (Cas) enzymes - which provide a rich resource for the development of RNA-guided genome editing tools with diverse and potentially beneficial properties.

Biology is reshaping our future, from our medicines to our food, fuels, homes, and even clothes. But the power to engineer and re-design biology comes with significant responsibility. How can we ensure the bio-engineering tools aren't misused or create accidentally harmful materials? How can we ensure workers, our society, and our planet are all protected? In the inaugural Built with Biology Podcast episode, host Fiona Mischel speaks with James Diggans, Head of Biosecurity at Twist Bioscience. What is biosecurity, why does it matter, and how it could impact your day-to-day life? Get all your questions answered and more!

Plant-derived medicines are prone to shortages because their agriculture-based supply chains are vulnerable to geopolitical and environmental factors. Recreating the biosynthesis of these medicines in a scalable organism like Baker’s yeast would provide an economical alternative to plant cultivation that is resilient to regional and global disruptions and scalable to meet global demands. This application note showcases the engineering of Baker’s yeast to synthesize the nightshade-derived tropane alkaloids hyoscyamine and scopolamine. Whole-cell engineering leveraged Twist Gene Fragments for rapid screening and integration of pathway elements into yeast, removing a critical bottleneck in the engineering workflow.