Technology

The Chassis

Our patent pending technology utilizes a genetically encoded system to facilitate DNA uptake. Rather than harsh treatments that only make cells capable of taking up DNA by chance, our platform utilizes proteins at the cell surface to actively capture any DNA around it.

Have a gene you’d like them to use? Just add the short elements required for expression (promoter & terminator) and let the cells do the work. No need for selection or even replication.

Not just different than E. coli, our chassis is better.

We don’t mean to belittle the status quo, it dominated the field from the very beginning as the fast, easy, and versatile host of choice because it enabled some of the greatest breakthroughs in history. But that doesn’t mean its the best option.

We selected our chassis organism Vibrio natriegens (V nat) because its:

Faster - Doubling every 10 minutes (vs 20 minutes)

Easier - Growing in high salt LB media (vs contamination prone low salt media)

More versatile - A growing record of higher yields from varied carbon sources

And there’s a growing movement of researchers who are taking advantage of this.

What would you do with the fastest growing cells on Earth that utilize any DNA fragment you give them?

We’re working on some big ideas, but we’d love to hear yours. Get in touch and let us know!

To learn more, see our publication in PNAS Nexus: https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad444