AbTEL

AbTEL, also known as the Autonomous Bacterium of Thauer Exploiting LexA, is a prokaryotic organism that has been engineered to live inside a bacterium's cell without affecting its functions. It is based on the DNA replication system of the bacterium E. coli and utilizes a LexA repressor for regulation of its own proliferation.

AbTEL requires its host bacterium to maintain homeostasis, supplying it with resources and exporting waste products without interfering with its cellular processes. To facilitate this relationship, the structure of the bacterium's cell membrane and its ability to control the exchange of substances with its environment play crucial roles.

AbTEL was developed by researchers at Tel Aviv University and is currently being studied worldwide. Its purpose is to serve as a novel tool in the field of biotechnology, opening up possibilities for the rational design of organelles within living cells for a variety of purposes.

AbTEL consists of both the cellular machinery that can select essential substrates from the cytoplasm of the bacterium, as well as specific non-essential enzymes that generate abundant byproducts. These products restrict the proliferation activity of AbTEL and ensure that the host bacterium can regulate its impact and control the pace of the symbiotic process.

AbTEL's capacity to mix with both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms is of significant interest due to its potential to expand the types of genetically engineered organelles that can be developed for integration with host living cells.