Transcript Genetic Engineering of Biological Machines

What is Synthetic Biology?
ELECTRICAL engineering solution
MECHANICAL engineering solution
water = weight
water<weight
BIOLOGICAL engineering solution
BIOLOGICAL engineering solution
BIOLOGICAL engineering solution
A biological machine
The instructions for the machine
Figure 20.1 An overview of how bacterial plasmids are used to clone genes
Genetic engineering involves moving
existing genes from one organism
to another.
Synthetic biology involves
constructing new genetic systems
and turning cells into biological
machines
A bacterial photograph
Bacteria engineered
to change color
based on light
A LIVING
HOUSE Terreform’s Fab
Tree Hab
Or…
Bacteria that can test for Arsenic in water
Bacterial computers
Bacteria that detect mines
Yogurt that cleans teeth
These are not possible by evolution
Engineered bacteria to change color based
on light.
Evolution didn’t do this!
Engineers did…
And they have…
Synthetic biology is engineering
How is engineering different from
science?
Synthetic Biology
Standardization
Abstraction
Synthesis
A+A+C+T+T…
Genetic Engineering
rDNA
Sequencing
PCR
• Abstraction -- a term borrowed
from software engineering to
indicate the management of
complexity inherent to biological
parts and the systems made with
them. Abstraction simplifies
components by hiding, or "black
boxing" information, facilitating
their use and re-use
Abstraction Hierarchy
Part -- a nucleic acid-encoded biological function
Parts
promoter
Ribosome binding site
• Device -- an engineered genetic
object that produces a humandefined function under specified
conditions. Devices are produced
by combining one or more
standard biological part
Eau d’coli
• System- an engineered genetic
object that produces a humandefined function under specified
conditions. Systems are produced
by combining one or more
standard biological Device.
Standardization
a series of assembly and
characterization rules. In time, these
standards may allow the reliable
physical and functional assembly of
genetic parts into devices, and
devices into systems
Standard Assembly
Std functional assembly???
An engineering paradigm
Design
Build
Test
•
What precisely is the problem or opportunity you
are focusing on?
•
How clear are you on an approach to make a
dent in the problem?
•
What if your project is fully successful? How big
a difference could it make? What concerns will it
raise?
•
What other technologies can be used/have been
used to address this area?
•
What don't you know? How big are the gaps in
what you know? How much is completely unknown
or unknowable?