This presentation is about the synthesis of new life by designing new models or by the modification of existing systems in the universe.

1. Synthetic Biology
Presenting By
Ijaz Muhammad
M.Phil Zoology (1st Semester)
AWKUM-UCS Shankar Campus
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2. Synthetic biology broadly refers to the use of
computer-assisted, biological engineering to design
and construct new synthetic biological parts, devices
and systems that do not exist in nature and the
redesign of existing biological organisms.
Definition
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3. •Synthetic biology incorporates the techniques
of molecular biology.
•It differs from recombinant DNA technology in
that synthetic biology introduces synthetically
constructed parts and is not limited to the
modification of natural organisms.
•Construction of new life forms with no natural
counterpart.
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4.  Systems biology aims
to study natural biological
systems as a whole, often
with a biomedical focus
and uses simulation
and modeling tools
in comparisons
with experimental
information.
Relationship between systems biology and
synthetic biology
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5. A key aspect of synthetic biology, which
differentiates it from genetic engineering and current
biotechnology approaches, is the application to
biology of techniques which are normally used in
engineering design and development.
The Engineering design cycle and rational
design in synthetic biology:
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7. DNA Synthesis:
•At the most basic level, synthetic biology involves
the use synthetic DNA that was uploaded or written on
a computer and “printed” out from bottles of nucleic
acids (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine—
represented by the letters A, T, C, and G).
•These DNA strands are then inserted into organisms
through a variety of genetic engineering techniques.
Differing Approaches to Synthetic Biology
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8. “Biobricks” are standard DNA sequences that code for
certain functions.
DNA sequences can be created to make an organism
glow, for example, and engineering that biobrick into
an organism should make it glow.
These open-source “bricks” can be used by researchers
across the world to construct new genes and DNA
sequences.
Bio-bricks
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9.  Researchers, most notably Craig Venter, are
working to produce an organism or cell with the
minimum number of genes needed to survive.
 One could then add any DNA sequence to this
“minimal genome or cell” and produce fuel, medicine,
or any other synthetic product.
Minimal Cell or Genome
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11. Xenobiologists are attempting to create alternative
genetic systems such as novel nucleic acids, “suicide
genes,” or mirror biology.
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Xenobiology

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For example, one research team has replaced thymine with 5-
chlorouracil in the genome of E. coli where others are attempting to
create “mirror” cells.

13. •Researchers are testing
combinations of inanimate
chemicals to create proto-cells,
or synthetic life without DNA.
These proto-cells would
be like truly creating life
from scratch.
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Proto-cells

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15. Fundamental techniques in synthetic
biology
There are three key technological enablers that have
facilitated the emergence and rapid development of
synthetic biology - these are:
Computational modeling
DNA sequencing
DNA synthesis. 15

16. Synthetic biology approaches the design of engineered
biological systems through the engineering cycle.
Modeling of the design, to predict system performance
prior to fabrication, is an important component of
synthetic biology.
Synthetic biology is therefore similar to systems
biology, in that both rely heavily on computer
modeling of biological processes.
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Computational modeling

17. The ‘reading’ or sequencing of DNA is the second key
enabling technology for synthetic biology.
DNA comprises four bases. These always pair in
groups of two - T with A and G with C.
The entire content of DNA for a particular organism is
called its genome – this contains complete instructions
for constructing any type of protein, cell, tissue, organ,
etc. 17
DNA sequencing

18. •Once a genome has been sequenced, the next step
may be to 're-write', or synthesize, all or part of the
genome.
•There are a number of cases where the genome of an
organism has been entirely synthesized.
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DNA synthesis

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DNA synthesis

20. • In 2002, Cello and coworkers at State University of
New York, Stony Brook, synthesized the poliovirus
genome (7,741 bp) from its published sequence,
producing the first synthetic organism.
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• In 2003, the genome of
the bacteriophage ΦX-174
(5,386 bp) was assembled
in just two weeks by a team
at the J. Craig Venter
Institute.

22. Applications of synthetic biology
The ultimate goal of synthetic biology is to develop
commercial applications that will benefit society, For
example
• To design and build engineered biological systems
that process information.
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23. Manipulate chemicals
Farnesene – an essential building block for a wide
range of chemical products (detergents, cosmetics,
perfumes and industrial lubricants and transportation
fuels) – through synthetically engineered yeast.
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24. Engineered yeast to produce artemisinic acid an anti
malarial drug. Researchers and companies are
working on ways to produce vaccines through
synthetic microbes.
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Maintain and enhance human health and our
environment

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Fabricate materials and structures
Re-engineering the Type III secretion system of
Salmonella typhimurium to secrete spider silk
proteins.

26. Organisms synthetically engineered to break down
biomass into sugars for fuel.
Algae naturally produces oils, but through synthetic
biology tools algae can be reengineered to produce
oils that are chemically similar or identical to the oils
that are currently used in today’s transportation and
energy infrastructure.
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Produce energy

27. Synthetic biologists are working to replace natural
products with synthetically produced equivalents.
Synthetic production of rubber through isoprene – a
crucial building block for making artificial rubber. The
gene encoding isoprene (previously found in rubber
trees) has been synthetically engineered into E. coli to
produce isoprene. 27
Natural Product Substitutes

28. Other products currently being produced through
synthetic biology include vanilla, stevia, and palm oil
among others.
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29. Impacts of synthetic biology on the
Conservation and Sustainable Use of
Biodiversity
Synthetic organisms threaten biological diversity if
they escape into the environment – either intentionally
or unintentionally from a lab.
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The release of synthetic microbes:

30. Organisms are being synthetically engineered to
survive, function, and propagate in the natural
environment.
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31. The risks synthetic biology pose to human health and
the environment are serious since synthetic biology
has the ability to create organisms that have never
existed before and their complexity will only increase
over time.
We must establish proper regulations and safeguards
before this technology evolves too far and it is too late.
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Regulation of Synthetic Biology

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