The genome is made from chemically-synthesized DNA using yeast recombination.Ģ011: Functional synthetic chromosome arms are engineered in yeast. Ģ010: Researchers publish in Science the first synthetic bacterial genome, called M. Ģ006: Researchers engineer a synthetic circuit that promotes bacterial invasion of tumour cells. Another group designs circuits capable of multicellular pattern formation.

Ģ004: First international conference for synthetic biology, Synthetic Biology 1.0 (SB1.0) is held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.Ģ005: Researchers develop a light-sensing circuit in E. Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL) standard visual symbols for use with BioBricks StandardĢ003: Researchers engineer an artemisinin precursor pathway in E. These parts will become central to the international Genetically Engineered Machine competition (iGEM) founded at MIT in the following year. Ģ003: The most widely used standardized DNA parts, BioBrick plasmids, are invented by Tom Knight. This obviated adding new DNA polymerase after each PCR cycle, thus greatly simplifying DNA mutagenesis and assembly.Ģ000: Two papers in Nature report synthetic biological circuits, a genetic toggle switch and a biological clock, by combining genes within E. ġ988: First DNA amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a thermostable DNA polymerase is published in Science by Mullis et al. The work on restriction nucleases not only permits us easily to construct recombinant DNA molecules and to analyze individual genes, but also has led us into the new era of synthetic biology where not only existing genes are described and analyzed but also new gene arrangements can be constructed and evaluated. ġ978: Arber, Nathans and Smith win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of restriction enzymes, leading Szybalski to offer an editorial comment in the journal Gene: constituting the dawn of synthetic biology. ġ973: First molecular cloning and amplification of DNA in a plasmid is published in P.N.A.S. coli and envisioned the ability to assemble new systems from molecular components. ġ961: Jacob and Monod postulate cellular regulation by molecular networks from their study of the lac operon in E. He also noted this term in another publication, La Biologie Synthétique in 1912. History įurther information: Timeline of biotechnologyġ910: First identifiable use of the term 'synthetic biology' in Stéphane Leduc's publication Théorie physico-chimique de la vie et générations spontanées. There are increasing efforts to bridge the divide between these approaches by forming hybrid living/synthetic cells, and engineering communication between living and synthetic cell populations.

Cell-free protein expression systems are often employed, as are membrane-based molecular machinery.

The bottom up approach involves creating new biological systems in vitro by bringing together 'non-living' biomolecular components, often with the aim of constructing an artificial cell.īiological systems are thus assembled module-by-module.

The top down approach involves using metabolic and genetic engineering techniques to impart new functions to living cells.

Synthetic biology has traditionally been divided into two different approaches: top down and bottom up.

“applying the engineering paradigm of systems design to biological systems in order to produce predictable and robust systems with novel functionalities that do not exist in nature” (The European Commission, 2005) This can include the possibility of a molecular assembler, based upon biomolecular systems such as the ribosome.

'designing and constructing biological modules, biological systems, and biological machines or, re-design of existing biological systems for useful purposes'.

'an emerging field of research that aims to combine the knowledge and methods of biology, engineering and related disciplines in the design of chemically synthesized DNA to create organisms with novel or enhanced characteristics and traits'.

'the use of a mixture of physical engineering and genetic engineering to create new (and, therefore, synthetic) life forms'.

Synthetic biology currently has no generally accepted definition.

6.2 Ethical support for synthetic biology.

5.14 Nanoparticles, artificial cells and micro-droplets.5.13 Other transplants and induced regeneration.5.10.1 Engineered bacteria-based platform.

Interest syn