Link: Tech Briefs Article

BioCapital Holdings LLC and NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas

This technology uses extracts produced from yeast transformed with a new anti-UV DNA construct to block ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

The anti-UV DNA construct was prepared using synthetic biology and/or conventional molecular biology. Different genetic sequences, including repair proteins — such as heat shock protein (HSP), energy metabolic proteins, and other up-regulating proteins — and other synthetic gene sequences were used.

This work was done by Raul Cuero Ph.D. of BioCapital Holdings, and David S. McKay, Ph.D. of NASA’s Johnson Space Center

The 2D DIGE gel from bake yeast cells transformed with the anti-UV DNA construct and from non-transform cells (control). The gel of the anti-UV DNA construct (bottom) shows higher fluorescence than the gel of the non- transformed cells (top) after exposure to laser detection. The higher fluorescence indicates a higher expression of the regulated proteins produced by the anti-UV DNA construct.