Synthetic Genomics | Annex
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For instance, gains in the speed and efficiency ofDNAsynthesis, sequencing, and recombinant DNA technology
combined with cataloging of genomic data permit advanced methods for predictable biological production of
commercial proteins and chemicals. Gene shuffling and directed evolution, based on the rapid iteration and
sequencing of recombinant proteins, are other outgrowths of the increased efficiency of standard
biotechnology techniques and have been safely used for many years.Metabolic engineering—the optimization
of microbial fermentation pathways, cellular processes and enzymatic activity for biochemical production—is
an outgrowth of the increased knowledge of genomics.
Synthetic biology encompasses a set of emerging tools, including applied protein and genome design, the
standardization of genomic “parts” or oligonucleotides, and synthesis of full genomes, that are important to
the continued evolution of biotechnology. The continued refinement and capability of metabolic engineering
techniques, combined with digitized proteomic and genomic data, are expected to enable increasingly
complex, multistep fermentation of organic chemicals and longer gene synthesis.
Figure 16: Evolution of innovation
Kircher (2011)
Synthetic biology: The vision of synthetic biology is to engineer a specific biocatalytic reaction chain in a so-
called cell chassis. This chassis is able to propagate under laboratory an production conditions, but is stripped
of all genetic information and in addition, it needs to be prepared for the various environments in nature. It is
expected that such systems are genetically more stable, thus allowing continuous fermentation; produce with
higher yield since they do not waste precursors in competing metabolic pathways; and give access to man-
designed bioproducts, which are otherwise not provided by nature.
Krivoruchko (2011)
Synthetic biology involves the design and construction of biological parts and components that do not exist in
nature and operates at several levels of biological organization.This includes the DNA level, through advances
in gene synthesis and the use of codon optimization for optimal gene expression [9, 10], the creation of
unnatural base pairs [11] and the use of quadruplet codons [12].At the protein level, synthetic biology
attempts to design new functions/specificities into proteins and create new UAAs (unnatural amino acids) that
expand the catalytic possibilities further [13–14]. At the pathway level, synthetic biology attempts to redesign
biological pathways, assemble completely new pathways from biological components or design novel
regulatory systems [15, 16]. Even on the whole-organism level synthetic biology is
making strides, with the first
successful transfer of a synthetic genome reported recently [17]. In addition to creating new cellular molecules
and functions, synthetic biology also attempts to standardize biological components, which could reduce the
complexity associated with biological systems and make it easier to design, assemble and regulate metabolic