Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have created a tool that allows rapid engineering of heat-loving microbes for large-scale industrial production. The system, called thermophilic Serine recombinase Assisted Genome Engineering or tSAGE, inserts DNA into the chromosomes of thermophiles within weeks rather than the months or years required by earlier methods. It supports faster development of strains for breaking down plant material and making chemicals. The approach aids U.S. manufacturing goals and energy security by enabling work at higher temperatures where reactions occur more efficiently. tSAGE was tested on Clostridium thermocellum, a microbe effective at processing biomass. It builds on a prior genome engineering method and works reliably under hot conditions without extensive customization. The tool complements gene-editing techniques like CRISPR by focusing on DNA insertion. Scientists also used it to create a library of genetic parts for consistent future engineering. Potential applications include breaking down waste plastics into valuable materials. The study appears in the Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology.
