What is synthetic biology?
“The design and construction of new
biological parts, devices and systems
that do not exist in the natural world
and also the redesign of existing
biological systems to perform specific
tasks.”
http://www.etcgroup.org/upload/publication/602/01/synbioreportweb.pdf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIuh7KDRzLk
Adventures in Synthetic Biology (comic by Drew Endy)
http://mit.edu/endy/www/scraps/comic/AiSB.vol1.pdf
Synthetic biology hierarchy
inspired by computer/electrical engineering
Andrianantoandro et al., Molecular Systems Biology 16 May 2006
Engineering Life: Building a FAB for Biology, Sci. Am. Feb. 2007
Bacterial photography
Engineering Life: Building a FAB for Biology, Sci. Am. Feb. 2007
Programming bacteria to form complex patterns
Engineering Life: Building a FAB for Biology, Sci. Am. Feb. 2007
Semisynthesis strategy for producing artemisinin
Keasling, J.D., ACS Chemical Biology 2008, Vol. 3, No. 1
Using genetic parts to program bacteria
Voigt, C.A., Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2006, 17:548–557
DNA parts to program bacteria
Voigt, C.A., Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2006, 17:548–557
DNA parts to program bacteria
Voigt, C.A., Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2006, 17:548–557
DNA parts to program bacteria
Voigt, C.A., Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2006, 17:548–557
iGEM
(International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition)
A competition by teams of undergrads to build genetically engineered machines
using standardized biological parts (BioBricks) or making their own.
Push-on Push-off switch
(using a bistable switch and NOR gate)
Registry of Standard Biological Parts (BioBricks)
http://parts.mit.edu
 Provides free access to an open commons of basic biological functions that can be
used to program synthetic biological systems
 Anybody may contribute, draw upon, or improve the parts maintained within the
Registry.
Endy D, 2005. Nature 438: 449-453
BioBrick Part Types
BioBrick Reporters
GFP device
lacI Promoter
BioBricks
BioBrick Standard Assembly
Engineering Life: Building a FAB for Biology, Sci. Am. Feb. 2007
Input and Output Modules using BioBricks
http://openwetware.org/wiki/User:Vincent_Rouilly/Hands_On_BioBrick_Activity
BioBrick Device Data Sheet
Evolution Breaks Synthetic Circuits
Arkin and Fletcher, Genome Biology 2006, 7:114
Endy D, 2005. Nature 438: 449-453
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-mCWIGVgmQ&feature=related