WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY, NUMEROUS GENETICALLY ENGINEERED (GE) MICROORGANISMS HAVE BEEN CREATED. DUE TO BIOSAFETY CONCERNS, THEY CANNOT BE RELEASED TO THE NATURE TO FULFILL PRACTICAL TASKS. LACK OF RELIABLE BIOCONTAINMENT SYSTEMS HAS HINDERED FEDERAL REGULATORY AGENCIES TO ESTABLISH REGULATIONS FOR RECOMBINANT STRAINS. WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE BIOCONFINEMENT STRATEGY BY COMBINING MULTIPLE ANTIBACTERIAL MECHANISMS UNDER CONTROL OF A LIGHT-INDUCIBLE (OR DARK-INDUCIBLE) BIO-SWITCH. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF THESE BIO-CIRCUITS WILL BE DEMONSTRATED BY BIOCONFINEMENT OF RECOMBINANT STRAINS FOR DEGRADATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS.THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP A SIMPLE, ECONOMICAL, AND EFFICIENT BIOCONTAINMENT APPROACH BY UTILIZING NATURALLY AVAILABLE INEXPENSIVE RESOURCES AS BIO-SWITCH AND COMBINING MULTIPLE ANTIBACTERIAL MECHANISMS. IT DEMONSTRATES A PRACTICAL MEANS TO LIMIT GENE TRANSFER AND PROLIFERATION OF GE CELLS, WHICH WILL MINIMIZE ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS OF GE MICROORGANISMS. RESULTS WILL PROVIDE ESSENTIAL REFERENCES FOR FEDERAL REGULATORY AGENCIES TO TAKE A MAJOR STEP TOWARDS APPROVAL OF RECOMBINANT MICROORGANISMS FOR PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR DEVELOPMENT OF 'SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE' THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION BY SATISFYING HUMAN BEING NEEDS FOR ENERGY, ENHANCING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND NATURAL RESOURCE, AND FINALLY ENHANCING LIFE QUALITY FOR THE SOCIETY AS A WHOLE.THIS PROJECT ALIGNS BEST WITH PROGRAM AREA OF 'MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO MINIMIZE ENVIRONMENTAL RISK OF GE ORGANISMS' WITH IN THE USDA BRAG PROGRAM.