Versioning biological cells for trustworthy cell engineering

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 765
• Main Authors: Tellechea-Luzardo, Jonathan, Hobbs, Leanne, Velázquez, Elena, Pelechova, Lenka, Woods, Simon, de Lorenzo, Víctor, Krasnogor, Natalio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 09-02-2022; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 13/44; 42; 45; 45/23; 631/114/2399; 631/553/552; 631/61; 64; Animals; Automation; Bacteria; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - metabolism; Biological Products; Biology; Biotechnology; Cell Engineering - methods; Cell Line; Cell lines; Control systems; Digital data; Engineering; Genetic engineering; Genetic Engineering - methods; Gram-negative bacteria; Gram-positive bacteria; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Informatics; Internet of Things; Metabolic Engineering; multidisciplinary; Platforms; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Synthetic Biology - methods; Trustworthiness; Version control
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28350-4

“Full-stack” biotechnology platforms for cell line (re)programming are on the horizon, thanks mostly to (a) advances in gene synthesis and editing techniques as well as (b) the growing integration of life science research with informatics, the internet of things and automation. These emerging platforms will accelerate the production and consumption of biological products. Hence, traceability, transparency, and—ultimately—trustworthiness is required from cradle to grave for engineered cell lines and their engineering processes. Here we report a cloud-based version control system for biotechnology that (a) keeps track and organizes the digital data produced during cell engineering and (b) molecularly links that data to the associated living samples. Barcoding protocols, based on standard genetic engineering methods, to molecularly link to the cloud-based version control system six species, including gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria as well as eukaryote cells, are shown. We argue that version control for cell engineering marks a significant step toward more open, reproducible, easier to trace and share, and more trustworthy engineering biology.
Full traceability and transparency are important to establish trust in engineered cell lines. Here the authors argue that version control for cell engineering marks a significant step toward more open, reproducible, traceable and ultimately more trustworthy engineering biology.