The European Molecular Biology Laboratory Magazine Issue 93 Summer 2019
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The European Molecular Biology Laboratory Magazine Issue 93 Summer 2019 Code Synapse Robots grow bio-inspired shapes Nucleus Wielding the genetic scissors Cultures Twenty years of EMBLEM Contents Nucleus Feature stories 14 Wielding the genetic scissors What CRISPR may bring for the future of biology, and how it is used at EMBL 20 24 Programming: How coding opens up language scientifi c data How computer processing The increasing of human language is importance of code in the harnessed by EMBL biological sciences scientists 28 32 Drawing knowledge Decoding ageing A conversation about art– Ageing, longevity, the science collaborations naked mole-rat and us and the importance of drawing in biology 2 EMBLetc. SUMMER 2019 Synapse News stories 5 New functionalities for cells 9 Cell death trigger in tuberculosis bacteria 6 Global microbial signatures for colorectal cancer 9 A worm’s sense of the world 6 Transcription factors controlled by 10 Many gut microbes may originate in DNA sequence the mouth 7 A DNA search engine for microbes 10 Using light to stop itch 7 New method to study gene 10 Genomes of all known UK species to expression in yeast cells be sequenced 8 Role reversal: RNA controls protein 11 Hundreds of tiny robots grow bio- function inspired shapes 8 ATP affects proteome-wide solubility 12 Foundation stone laid for EMBL Imaging Centre Cultures EMBL community stories 36 Twenty years of EMBLEM 42 Top tips for teaching yourself to code! 46 Building engagement 48 The donor’s code 50 Editing the ethical code 52 Awards & honours Alumni 53 Celebrating alumni worldwide 53 Alumni Association Board elections 54 2019 alumni awards 56 Fun with fern photography 58 Bringing science to life 59 EMBL’s coding past THE EUROPEAN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY MAGAZINE 3 MASSIMO DEL PRETE/EMBL Word to remember Mitochondria Plural noun (singular mitochondrion) Pronunciation: /ˌm a ɪ t əˈk ɒ nd r ɪə / Often described as the powerhouses of the cell, mitochondria are cellular Editorial components that produce the cell’s energy currency, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Codes are everywhere. In biology, the most obvious examples might be the codes in DNA and RNA, but whenever scientists seek to You inherit your mitochondria understand how a system works, or piece together observations to almost exclusively from your reveal deeper truths, they’re cracking codes of one kind or another. mother (p. 50), and they may play a role in ageing (p. 34). In this issue, we explore how CRISPR-Cas9 – a tool for editing the DNA code – is used at EMBL (p. 14), and Science and Society speaker Tim Lewens analyses the ethical side of gene editing (p. 50). We also Publisher meet members of the EMBL community who are teaching children European Molecular Biology Laboratory and teenagers how the nucleotides in DNA store information, using an even more beloved set of fundamental building blocks: Lego bricks Managing editor (p. 46). Edward Dadswell We find out how computer code is providing more efficient ways to Editors access and analyse biological data (p. 24), and how EMBL scientists Cella Carr are gaining new scientific insights by using computer algorithms for Mehrnoosh Rayner analysing language (p. 20). We also report on a new search engine for microbial genomes (p. 7), and EMBLers share the lessons they Design learned on their coding journeys (p. 42). Designyard Finally, we take a look at the codes used in different worlds. We Printed by celebrate twenty years of EMBL’s technology transfer partner, ColorDruck Solutions EMBLEM, which takes fundamental science into the commercial sphere (p. 36). Manfred Lautenschläger, funder of the EMBL Contact Lautenschläger Summer School, discusses his code for giving (p. 48), [email protected] and we explore codes from various disciplines as an artist and a historian visit EMBL (p. 28). Cover illustration Aleksandra Krolik Edward Dadswell Editor NEWS.EMBL.DE 4 EMBLetc. SUMMER 2019 Synapse New functionalities for cells EMBL scientists create membraneless organelle to build proteins in a living cell Typical cellular processes are GEMMA ESTRADA GIRONA seen as encapsulated, isolated, and are represented as repetitive structures in a city. The making of a new organelle is highlighted as a new building that is more dynamic and flexible, and is not fenced. BY IRIS KRUIJEN Estrada Girona. “The novelty we membraneless organelle and to make introduce is the ability to use these sure that only one organelle per cell For the first time, scientists have in a confined space, the organelle, is formed. engineered the complex biological which minimises the effects on the process of translation into a designer host.” Edward Lemke – visiting group organelle in a living mammalian leader at EMBL, Professor at JGU cell. Research by the Lemke group at Wobbly wall-less organelles Mainz and Adjunct Director at the EMBL – in collaboration with JGU Translation is too complex to be IMB – led the project. He concludes: Mainz and IMB Mainz – used this contained in one single organelle “In the end, we aim to develop a technique to create a membraneless surrounded by a membrane. technique to engineer synthetic organelle that can build proteins Therefore, inspiration was drawn cellular organelles and proteins that from natural and synthetic amino from phase separation: the process do not affect the host machinery acids carrying new functionality. responsible for the formation at all. We want to create a tool that Their results allow scientists to of membraneless organelles in does not have any uncharacterised study, tailor and control cellular vivo, such as nucleoli or stress effects. The organelle should be a function in more detail. granules. Phase separation is used simple add-on that allows organisms by cells to locally concentrate to do custom-designed novel things “The organelle can make proteins specific proteins and RNAs. Even in a controlled fashion.” by using synthetic non-canonical though these wall-less organelles amino acids. Currently we know have wobbly boundaries, as they Reinkemeier, CD*, Girona, GE*, of more than 300 different non- interact dynamically with the Lemke, EA. Science, 29 March 2019. canonical amino acids – compared to surrounding cytoplasm, they can DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw2644 20 that are naturally occurring. We still do very precise tasks. The team are no longer restricted to the latter combines phase separation with FULL VERSION ONLINE: ones,” says co-first author Gemma cellular targeting to create their BIT.LY/embl-93-01 THE EUROPEAN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY MAGAZINE 5 Global microbial signatures for colorectal cancer Colorectal cancer is of colorectal cancer – the third identify microbial signatures for characterised by consistent most common cancer worldwide colorectal cancer,” says EMBL group changes in our gut bacteria – is unclear. To determine their leader Georg Zeller. “We validated influence, association studies aim these signatures in early cancer across continents, cultures to map how the microbes colonising stages and in multiple studies, so and diets the gut of colorectal cancer patients they can serve as the basis for future are different from those that inhabit non-invasive cancer screening.” BY IRIS KRUIJEN healthy subjects. Wirbel, J, Pyl, PT et al. Nature Cancers have long been known A study led by EMBL scientists Medicine, 1 April 2019. DOI: 10.1038/ to arise due to environmental focused on a process in which s41591-019-0406-6 exposures such as unhealthy diet or certain gut bacteria turn bile Thomas, AM, Manghi, P et al. Nature smoking. Lately, the microbes living acids that are part of our digestive Medicine, 1 April 2019. DOI: 10.1038/ in and on our body have entered the juices into metabolites that can be s41591-019-0405-7 stage as key players. The role that gut carcinogenic. “We used a rigorous FULL VERSION ONLINE: microbes play in the development machine learning analysis to BIT.LY/embl-93-02 Cellular signalling controls chromatin Transcription modification. factors controlled by DNA sequence EMBL scientists gain mechanistic insights into how cellular signalling controls gene regulation ALEKSANDRA KROLIK/EMBL BY PATRICK MÜLLER In cells, DNA exists in a highly To reveal the underlying compact form. The scaffolding mechanism, a team led by Daniel that enables this packaging of Panne – a former group leader DNA is made of proteins known as at EMBL Grenoble – studied p300, histones. More than 50 years ago, an enzyme that transfers acetyl and when. Now, the scientists have it became apparent that chemical groups and regulates cell growth discovered that the sequence of the modifications to these proteins are and division. The team found that DNA determines where the histone associated with gene activation. transcription factors – proteins is acetylated. One example of such a modification that control the expression of is acetylation – the addition of an genes – are the mediators between Ortega, E et al. Nature, 15 October acetyl chemical group. However, acetylation and cellular signalling. 2018. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0621-1 precisely how cellular signals Transcription factors are known initiate this modification remained to control where in the genome FULL VERSION ONLINE: unclear. particular genes are expressed, BIT.LY/embl-93-03 6 EMBLetc. SUMMER 2019 Synapse A DNA New method to study search gene expression in engine for microbes yeast cells Scientists develop high- New search engine allows throughput yeast single-cell researchers to identify antibiotic resistance genes or RNA sequencing method mutations in real time BY OANA STROE Researchers at EMBL-EBI have combined their knowledge of bacterial genetics and web search algorithms to build a DNA search engine for microbial data. The search engine could enable researchers and public health agencies to use genome sequencing data to monitor the spread of antibiotic resistance genes. WÜSTEFELD TOBIAS The search engine, called Bitsliced Genomic Signature Index (BIGSI), The strands of RNA within a single fulfils a similar purpose to internet yeast cell can now be studied search engines, such as Google.