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Synthetic Biology

Presenting By

Ijaz MuhammadM.Phil Zoology (1st Semester)

AWKUM-UCS Shankar Campus

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Synthetic biology broadly refers to the use of

computer-assisted, biological engineering to design

and construct new synthetic biological parts, devices

and systems that do not exist in nature and the

redesign of existing biological organisms.

Definition

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•Synthetic biology incorporates the techniques of molecular biology.

•It differs from recombinant DNA technology in that synthetic biology introduces synthetically constructed parts and is not limited to the modification of natural organisms.

•Construction of new life forms with no natural counterpart.

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Systems biology aims to study natural biologicalsystems as a whole, often with a biomedical focusand uses simulationand modeling toolsin comparisons with experimental information.

Relationship between systems biology and synthetic biology

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A key aspect of synthetic biology, which

differentiates it from genetic engineering and current

biotechnology approaches, is the application to

biology of techniques which are normally used in

engineering design and development.

The Engineering design cycle and rational design in synthetic biology:

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DNA Synthesis: •At the most basic level, synthetic biology involves the use synthetic DNA that was uploaded or written on a computer and “printed” out from bottles of nucleic acids (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine—represented by the letters A, T, C, and G).

•These DNA strands are then inserted into organisms through a variety of genetic engineering techniques.

Differing Approaches to Synthetic Biology

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“Biobricks” are standard DNA sequences that code for certain functions.

DNA sequences can be created to make an organism glow, for example, and engineering that biobrick into an organism should make it glow.

These open-source “bricks” can be used by researchers across the world to construct new genes and DNA sequences.

Bio-bricks

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Researchers, most notably Craig Venter, are

working to produce an organism or cell with the

minimum number of genes needed to survive.

One could then add any DNA sequence to this

“minimal genome or cell” and produce fuel, medicine,

or any other synthetic product.

Minimal Cell or Genome

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Xenobiologists are attempting to create alternative genetic systems such as novel nucleic acids, “suicide genes,” or mirror biology.

Xenobiology

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For example, one research team has replaced thymine with 5-chlorouracil in the genome of E. coli where others are attempting to create “mirror” cells.

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•Researchers are testing

combinations of inanimate

chemicals to create proto-cells,

or synthetic life without DNA.

These proto-cells would

be like truly creating life

from scratch.

Proto-cells

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Fundamental techniques in synthetic biology

There are three key technological enablers that have

facilitated the emergence and rapid development of

synthetic biology - these are:

Computational modeling

DNA sequencing

DNA synthesis.

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Synthetic biology approaches the design of engineered

biological systems through the engineering cycle.

Modeling of the design, to predict system performance prior to fabrication, is an important component of synthetic biology.

Synthetic biology is therefore similar to systems biology, in that both rely heavily on computer modeling of biological processes.

Computational modeling

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The ‘reading’ or sequencing of DNA is the second key enabling technology for synthetic biology.

DNA comprises four bases. These always pair in groups of two - T with A and G with C.

The entire content of DNA for a particular organism is

called its genome – this contains complete instructions

for constructing any type of protein, cell, tissue, organ,

etc.

DNA sequencing

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•Once a genome has been sequenced, the next step

may be to 're-write', or synthesize, all or part of the

genome.

•There are a number of cases where the genome of an

organism has been entirely synthesized.

DNA synthesis

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DNA synthesis

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• In 2002, Cello and coworkers at State University of New York, Stony Brook, synthesized the poliovirus genome (7,741 bp) from its published sequence, producing the first synthetic organism.

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• In 2003, the genome of

the bacteriophage ΦX-174

(5,386 bp) was assembled

in just two weeks by a team

at the J. Craig Venter

Institute.

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Applications of synthetic biology

The ultimate goal of synthetic biology is to develop commercial applications that will benefit society, For example

• To design and build engineered biological systems that process information.

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Manipulate chemicals

Farnesene – an essential building block for a wide range of chemical products (detergents, cosmetics, perfumes and industrial lubricants and transportation fuels) – through synthetically engineered yeast.

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Engineered yeast to produce artemisinic acid an anti malarial drug. Researchers and companies are working on ways to produce vaccines through synthetic microbes.

Maintain and enhance human health and our environment

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Fabricate materials and structures

Re-engineering the Type III secretion system of Salmonella typhimurium to secrete spider silk proteins.

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Organisms synthetically engineered to break down biomass into sugars for fuel.

Algae naturally produces oils, but through synthetic biology tools algae can be reengineered to produce oils that are chemically similar or identical to the oils that are currently used in today’s transportation and energy infrastructure.

Produce energy

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Synthetic biologists are working to replace natural

products with synthetically produced equivalents.

Synthetic production of rubber through isoprene – a

crucial building block for making artificial rubber. The

gene encoding isoprene (previously found in rubber

trees) has been synthetically engineered into E. coli to

produce isoprene.

Natural Product Substitutes

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Other products currently being produced through

synthetic biology include vanilla, stevia, and palm oil

among others.

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Impacts of synthetic biology on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of

Biodiversity

Synthetic organisms threaten biological diversity if they escape into the environment – either intentionally or unintentionally from a lab.

The release of synthetic microbes:

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Organisms are being synthetically engineered to survive, function, and propagate in the natural environment.

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The risks synthetic biology pose to human health and the environment are serious since synthetic biology has the ability to create organisms that have never existed before and their complexity will only increase over time.

We must establish proper regulations and safeguards before this technology evolves too far and it is too late.

Regulation of Synthetic Biology

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