Can Genetically Engineered Microbes (GEMs) be used safely in open-release?
On this page:
Genetic engineering and synthetic biology have enabled the development of microbes with new capabilities that can improve our lives and our relationship with the planet. In the lab, these genetically engineered microbes (GEMs) can produce commodity chemicals and pharmaceuticals in a “green” way, fix nitrogen instead of chemical fertilizers, degrade pollutants, and more. However, the lack of environmental risk assessment data has prevented the commercialization of many GEMs. While some GEMs can be grown within a contained system, many applications require open-release of the GEMs into the environment, such as bioremediation and biofertilizers. In these open-release applications, there are unknown risks to the native microbiome at the application site, in addition to the known risk of the GEM proliferating outside the application site. My project focuses on identifying the risks of GEMs intended for open-release application by tracking the persistence of a GEM and any changes to the bacterial community where it is introduced. Starting with a GEM I designed to degrade PET, we will additionally test GEMs developed by our collaborators, both with and without biocontainment strategies. By the end of this project, we aim to assess the environmental risks of GEMs in open-release and recommend biocontainment strategies to decrease that risk. This will provide the knowledge needed for researchers and regulators to make safe decisions regarding the use of GEMs in open-release applications.