Synthetic Biology

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Synthetic Biology
Sergio Peisajovich Lim Lab June 2007
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What is Synthetic Biology?
It is an emerging field of biology that aims at
designing and building novel biological systems.
The final goal is to be able to design biological
systems in the same way engineers design
electronic or mechanical systems.
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Why do we need it?
What I cannot create, I do not
understand. - Richard Feynman
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Why do we need it?
Cells are the ultimate Chemical Factory.
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Is it achievable?
1- Biology is hierarchical
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Is it achievable?
2- Biology is Modular
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Is it achievable?
Hierarchy and Modular (recurrent) organization
allows biology to be understandable and synthetic
biology to be possible.
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A possible hierarchy for synthetic biology
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Biological Components 1-Parts
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Biological Components 2-Devices
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Biological Components 3-Systems or Modules
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Biological Components 3-Systems or Modules
Basu et al (2005) Nature, 434 1130-4)
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Biological Components 3-Systems or Modules
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Biological Components 3-Systems or Modules
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Synthetic Biology as Engineering
For synthetic biology to become a form of
engineering it will be necessary to achieve
precision and reliability. Factors preventing
this 1- Incomplete knowledge of biology. 2-
Inherent functional overlap (parts with many
-some unknown- functions, some of which are
detrimental to the goal in mind. 3-
Incompatibility between parts. 4- Parts
functionality depends on context.
2- CI represses expression of unrelated host genes
3- LuxR interacts with CI and blocks its function
4- GFP is non-fluorescent in host
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Synthetic Biology as Engineering
Standard Parts
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Synthetic Biology as Engineering
Standard Parts
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Synthetic Biology as Engineering
Standard Parts
Standardized parts could be easily exchanged
between different devices (as well as between
different laboratories)
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Synthetic Biology as Engineering
Abstraction
Systems
Devices
Parts
DNA TGCATGCTGATATACGGCTCGAT
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