The DNA and Microbe Biofoundry

The DNA and Microbe Biofoundry : Sorbonne University Alliance

The Biofoundry of Sorbonne University Alliance (Biofonderie de l’Alliance Sorbonne Université, BFASU UAR2037 CNRS) specializes in high-throughput DNA assembly and microorganism engineering with a major focus on bacteria, yeast and microalgae.

Located within the Pierre et Marie Curie Campus of Sorbonne Université in Paris, it is the heart of the Paris Biofoundry where DNA parts are assembled and tested to support all Paris Biofoundry projects. The ASU Biofoundry is divided into two spaces that operate in a complementary manner: the DNA Foundry and the Cell Foundry.

The DNA foundry offers rapid DNA assembly and sequencing services.

The Microbe foundry focuses on building and testing genetically engineered microorganisms such as green microalgae, cyanobacteria, yeast and bacteria. It offers custom services for the transformation of DNA into these microorganisms and the phenotyping of the engineered cells.

A unique Green Biofoundry

Many projects carried out by biofoundries aim to replace traditional production methods that rely on fossil fuels by bioproduction, where heterotrophic microorganisms are used to produce industrially-relevant molecules from biomass (sugars, agricultural byproducts…).

As all biomass comes from photosynthetic organisms, the ASU biofoundry goes even further toward this goal by directly engineering photosynthetic chassis.

The use of phototrophs offers the following advantages:

Model organism for fundamental research on photosynthesis, energy metabolism and chloroplast development with application in crop sciences.

Less sugar needed, they can grow on CO2 as a sole source of carbon, meaning less competition with agriculture for large scale cultures.

The production of molecules of interest by photosynthetic organisms is based on CO2 consumption rather than production, and can have a greenhouse gas footprint below the neutrality.

They require less space than crops, are more energetically efficient and usable in a wider variety of climates. This means they can be cultivated using sea water, freeing both arable land and fresh water.

They are better at producing anti-oxidants and pigments than non-photosynthetic organisms.

At the ASU Biofoundry, we have a long history of using Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a photosynthetic microalga, but also have experience working with other microbial phototrophs (Synechocystis, Nannochloropsis, Picochlorum, Scenedesmus, …) making it the first green biofoundry in the world. As such, the ASU biofoundry is committed to developing solutions to reduce its impact on the environment by decreasing waste. This will be achieved by miniaturizing experiments and re-using plastics consumables.