Environment signal dependent biocontainment systems for engineered organisms: Leveraging triggered responses and combinatorial systems

Shreya Varma; Khushi Ash Gulati; Janani Sriramakrishnan; Riyaa Kedar Ganla; Ritu Raval

doi:10.1016/j.synbio.2024.12.005

Environment signal dependent biocontainment systems for engineered organisms: Leveraging triggered responses and combinatorial systems

Synth Syst Biotechnol. 2024 Dec 20;10(2):356-364. doi: 10.1016/j.synbio.2024.12.005. eCollection 2025 Jun.

Authors

Shreya Varma^{1

2}, Khushi Ash Gulati^{1

2}, Janani Sriramakrishnan^{1

2}, Riyaa Kedar Ganla^{1

2}, Ritu Raval^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, 576104, Karnataka, India.
² Manipal Biomachines, Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, 576104, Karnataka, India.

Abstract

As synthetic biology advances, the necessity for robust biocontainment strategies for genetically engineered organisms (GEOs) grows increasingly critical to mitigate biosafety risks related to their potential environmental release. This paper aims to evaluate environment signal-dependent biocontainment systems for engineered organisms, focusing specifically on leveraging triggered responses and combinatorial systems. There are different types of triggers-chemical, light, temperature, and pH-this review illustrates how these systems can be designed to respond to environmental signals, ensuring a higher safety profile. It also focuses on combinatorial biocontainment to avoid consequences of unintended GEO release into an external environment. Case studies are discussed to demonstrate the practical applications of these systems in real-world scenarios.

Keywords: Biocontainment; Combinatorial systems; Engineered organisms; Genetic circuits; Kill switches; Synthetic biology; Triggered responses.

Publication types

Review