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Synthetic BiologySynthetic Biology
Risks and opportunities of an emerging field
Constructing Life
1. Ultimate reductionism!1. Ultimate reductionism!
If we view life as a machine, then we can also make it: this is the revolutionary nature of
synthetic biology.
Synthetic biologists want to design new life and construct this from scratch.
(圖片來源:紐約時報)
What is synthetic biology?What is synthetic biology?
Synthetic biology is defined as the design and construction of new biological parts, devices, and
systems and the re-design of existing, natural biological systems for useful purposes
Synthetic biology has been described as ‘the engineer’s approach to biology’
Possible abstraction hierarchy in biological systems
Relationship to systems biologyRelationship to systems biology
Systems biology makes use of computational tools and mathematical modeling in an attempt to integrate and analyse the vast amounts of data that have been generated by genome sequencing and other high through-
put data gathering projects.
Relationship to systems biologyRelationship to systems biology
Synthetic biology tries to build an actual functioning synthetic biological system from a systems biology
model and proves the model is correct.
Picture encoded on E. coli biofilm
DNA sequencing and synthesisDNA sequencing and synthesis
A more specific development which has contributed directly to the emergence of synthetic biology is the
increasing speed and ease of gene synthesis
Chain-termination methods
Single-Molecule DNA Sequencing
Polymerase cycling assembly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymerase_cycling_assembly
2. Types of synthetic biology2. Types of synthetic biology
DNA-based device constructionDNA-based device construction
These biological components are interchangeable, functionally discrete and capable of being easily
combined in a modular fashion.
This results in the creation of standardized biological parts, devices and systems, called ‘BioBricks’, such as lo
gic gates and oscillators .
The construction of a repressilator
Michael B. Elowitz and Stanislas Leibler; Nature. 2000 Jan 20;403(6767):335-8. Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repressilator"
The repressilator in Escherichia coli.
A classical genetic inverter device
A PoPS inverter device
Genome-driven cell engineeringGenome-driven cell engineering
‘top down’ attempts:to strip excess DNA away from existing genomes to make more efficient ‘chassis’.
‘bottom up’ attempts:to construct genomes from scratch, including the synthesis of viral genomes such as the polio virus, and the φX174 phage.
Protocell creationProtocell creation
This approach is more interested in trying to recreate living cells.
This often involves inserting molecular components into lipid vesicles.
3. 3. ScientificScientific developments and developments and likely applicationslikely applications
Environmental applicationsEnvironmental applications
Bioremediation.
Microorganisms or even plants could be engineered to degrade pesticides and remove pollutants
New drug development pathways.
The construction of an artificial metabolic pathway in E. coli and yeast to produce a precursor (arteminisin)
for an antimalarial drug.
Industrial applicationsIndustrial applications
Biofuels.
Bacteria could be engineered to synthesize hydrogen or ethanol by degrading cellulose.
Plants and algae could also be engineered to produce biodiesel.