Simcell® technology

What is the SimCell® platform?

SimCells® are genome-free, non-replicating bacterial chassis produced by expressing a homing endonuclease within host cells, which enzymatically cleaves multiple restriction sites within the genome. This process completely halts cell division while preserving other key cellular features, making SimCells® useful for in vivo and in vitro applications that would be impossible with dividing cells.

Manufacturing is a core competency at Oxford SimCell Ltd. Our production workflows let us provide pure, high-quality SimCells® engineered for broad applications across the healthcare sector.

SimCell® technology was developed at the University of Oxford [1] and is exclusively licensed to Oxford SimCell Ltd.

 

[1] “Chromosome-free bacterial cells are safe and programmable platforms for synthetic biology.” Catherine Fan, Paul A. Davidson, Robert Habgood, Hong Zeng, Christoph M. Decker, Manuela Gesell Salazar, Khemmathin Lueangwattanapong, Helen E. Townley, Aidong Yang, Ian P. Thompson, Hua Ye, Zhangfeng Cui, Frank Schmidt, C. Neil Hunter, Wei E. Huang. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, March 2020, 117 (12) 6752-6761; DOI 10.1073/pnas.1918859117

Bacteria of interest with ICeuI recognition sites within the genome.
Bacteria of interest with ICeuI recognition sites within the genome.
Bacteria are transformed with a plasmid encoding the ICeuI endonuclease.
Bacteria are transformed with a plasmid encoding the ICeuI endonuclease.
Expression of ICeuI is induced, initiating the SimCell™ conversion process.
Expression of ICeuI is induced, initiating the SimCell™ conversion process.
Specific sites within the genome are recognised and cleaved by ICeuI. This causes DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) across the genome. Residual genomic fragments are degraded by native cellular machinery.
Specific sites within the genome are recognised and cleaved by ICeuI. This causes DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) across the genome. Residual genomic fragments are degraded by native cellular machinery.
The SimCell™ - A whole, genome-free, non-dividing bacterial cell with intact cellular features and machinery.
The SimCell™ - A whole, genome-free, non-dividing bacterial cell with intact cellular features and machinery.

Biosafety & Biocontainment

Chemical and irradiative bacterial inactivation technologies can be damaging to the cell. SimCells® are completely replication-deficient and remain undamaged by our enzymatic genome-removal process, making them both safe and efficacious for use in situations where biocontainment is key

Streamlined & Stable

Once converted from the parent bacteria, SimCells® are immune to recombination or loss of function mutations, remaining for a time in their pre-induction cellular state. This stable, streamlined, bacterial chassis represents a new tool for synthetic biology applications. The complexity and capability of a whole cell, in a simplified form.

Please contact us to learn more about the science behind our SimCell® technology platform

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