full transcript

From the Ted Talk by Tal Danino: Hacking bacteria to fight cancer

Unscramble the Blue Letters


But how can bacteria be programmed? The key lies in mpautnalniig their DNA. By inserting particular genetic seenqcues into bacteria, they can be instructed to synthesize different molecules, including those that disrupt cancer growth. They can also be made to behave in very specific ways with the help of bagilociol circuits. These program different behaviors depending on the presence, absence, or combination of certain factors. For example, tumors have low oxygen and pH levels and over-produce specific molecules. Synthetic biologists can pgorarm bacteria to ssene those conditions, and by doing so, rsopned to tumors while avoiding healthy tsuise.

Open Cloze


But how can bacteria be programmed? The key lies in ____________ their DNA. By inserting particular genetic _________ into bacteria, they can be instructed to synthesize different molecules, including those that disrupt cancer growth. They can also be made to behave in very specific ways with the help of __________ circuits. These program different behaviors depending on the presence, absence, or combination of certain factors. For example, tumors have low oxygen and pH levels and over-produce specific molecules. Synthetic biologists can _______ bacteria to _____ those conditions, and by doing so, _______ to tumors while avoiding healthy ______.

Solution


  1. program
  2. respond
  3. sequences
  4. tissue
  5. manipulating
  6. biological
  7. sense

Original Text


But how can bacteria be programmed? The key lies in manipulating their DNA. By inserting particular genetic sequences into bacteria, they can be instructed to synthesize different molecules, including those that disrupt cancer growth. They can also be made to behave in very specific ways with the help of biological circuits. These program different behaviors depending on the presence, absence, or combination of certain factors. For example, tumors have low oxygen and pH levels and over-produce specific molecules. Synthetic biologists can program bacteria to sense those conditions, and by doing so, respond to tumors while avoiding healthy tissue.

Frequently Occurring Word Combinations


ngrams of length 2

collocation frequency
synthetic biologists 2
deliver drugs 2
immune cells 2
synthetic biology 2


Important Words


  1. absence
  2. avoiding
  3. bacteria
  4. behave
  5. behaviors
  6. biological
  7. biologists
  8. cancer
  9. circuits
  10. combination
  11. conditions
  12. depending
  13. disrupt
  14. dna
  15. factors
  16. genetic
  17. growth
  18. healthy
  19. including
  20. inserting
  21. instructed
  22. key
  23. levels
  24. lies
  25. manipulating
  26. molecules
  27. oxygen
  28. ph
  29. presence
  30. program
  31. programmed
  32. respond
  33. sense
  34. sequences
  35. specific
  36. synthesize
  37. synthetic
  38. tissue
  39. tumors
  40. ways