Efficient retroelement-mediated DNA writing in bacteria

Abstract

The ability to efficiently and dynamically change information stored in genomes would enable powerful strategies for studying cell biology and controlling cellular phenotypes. Current recombineering-mediated DNA writing platforms in bacteria are limited to specific laboratory conditions, often suffer from suboptimal editing efficiencies, and are not suitable for in situ applications. To overcome these limitations, we engineered a retroelement-mediated DNA writing system that enables efficient and precise editing of bacterial genomes without the requirement for target-specific elements or selection. We demonstrate that this DNA writing platform enables a broad range of applications, including efficient, scarless, and cis-element-independent editing of targeted microbial genomes within complex communities, the high-throughput mapping of spatial information and cellular interactions into DNA memory, and the continuous evolution of cellular traits.