Mo Khalil
@mokhalil
Prof @ Harvard University, Broad Institute, and Wyss Institute. Synthetic & systems biology. Trying to understand the living world by engineering a synthetic one. Lab website: bu.edu/khalillab
We hope and expect this advance will greatly accelerate workflows for creating predictable, stable, and precisely engineered plants. Thanks for reading!
We synthesized these principles into a next-generation, precision plant transformation platform, yielding the T1 vector system — a platform that enables single-copy, backbone-free, readily mappable transgene integration with predictable expression.
We also found a fundamental tradeoff btwn transformation efficiency and integration quality. Thus, strategies focused solely on increasing transformation efficiency can compromise the quality of recovered transgenic lines.
By screening ~1000s of transformants, we uncovered a previously under-appreciated role for the virulence-enhancing OVERDRIVE sequence as a key determinant of T-DNA copy number, insertion complexity, and vector backbone transfer.
@willshaw.bsky.social found that the RUBY reporter serves as a faithful and scalable phenotypic proxy for T-DNA copy number, allowing us to establish a high-throughput framework for evaluating transformation quality rather than efficiency alone!
Indeed, the T-DNA vector system has been widely used for decades. Despite this, the vector determinants governing transformation outcomes and quality remain poorly understood.
Agrobacterium-mediated transformation underpins much of plant biology and biotechnology; however, it has long relied on highly inefficient screening to find the rare “good” transgenic lines hidden among many complex insertions -- one of the major bottlenecks for plant biotech.
Led by the BRILLIANT @willshaw.bsky.social (pictured below), this work presents the T1 Vector System -- a next-generation, precision plant transformation platform that enables clean, single-copy, readily mappable transgene integration in Arabidopsis with predictable expression. Let’s dive in!
Busy week for the Khalil lab getting ready of our big move next week! P.s. Graveyard of Oligos 🧬 from our prolific former postdoc @willshaw.bsky.social
We traveled to DC to talk to Congressional Staffers about the impact of NIH and NIBIB funding. It enables us to develop synthetic biology tools to advance cell & genetic medicines for patients in need. REPOST to deliver the message that SCIENCE saves lives & makes America GREAT!
She was incredibly sweet and gentle with our (and all) kids. SO much patience and forbearance.
This old pic really gets me and beautifully captures her spirit. This is her on her perch at our first apartment, where she would wait and watch for our return ❤️
I am 💔. We said goodbye to a beloved family member, our sweet dog Eloise. For 16+ years(!), she has been a constant source of joy, comfort, friendship, & humor. She was there for gradschool/postdoc, first jobs, wedding, 4 kids, ... She was my #1 companion. I will miss her dearly 😭. Pics/vids below
In this job, and especially these days, there is little that gives me more joy than watching one of your students crush their PhD defense. Huge congratulations to newly minted Dr. Colin Kunze -- we're all so proud of you!!