Synthetic Biology: An Emerging Tool for Drug Discovery and Production

Table of Contents

• Executive Summary
  • Strategic Considerations
  • Stakeholder Implications
• Introduction to Synthetic Biology
• Genetic Engineering: Precursor of Synthetic Biology
• Creating a New Discipline
  • The Core Academic Synthetic Biology Community
  • The International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Competition
• Applications of Synthetic Biology
• Modular Parts for Engineering Biological Systems
  • Biobricks
  • Chassis and the Minimal Cell
• Advances in DNA Sequencing and Synthesis Technologies
  • DNA Sequencing
  • DNA Synthesis
  • Suppliers of Biological Parts
• Construction of Synthetic Biology Devices
  • Synthetic Biological Clocks
  • RNA Antiswitches
• Metabolic Pathway Engineering for Small-Molecule Drug Synthesis and Discovery
  • Terpenoids
  • Polyketides
• Applications of Synthetic Viral Genomes to Vaccines and Therapies
• Ethical, Safety, and Policy Issues
• Synthetic Biology Companies
  • Amyris Biotechnologies
  • Biotica Technology
  • Blue Heron Biotechnology
  • Codon Devices
  • Kosan Biosciences
  • Synthetic Genomics
• Outlook for Synthetic Biology

Tables

• 1. Select Institutions Hosting Synthetic Biology Programs and Participating Laboratories
• 2. Potential Near-Term Applications of Synthetic Biology
• 3. Examples of Drugs in Natural Products Classes of Interest in Metabolic Engineering
• 4. Select Synthetic Biology Companies

Figures

• 1. Simplifi ed Diagram of the Repressilator Device
• 2. Schematic Diagram of the RNA Antiswitch
• 3. Schematic Diagram of the Mevalonate Pathway for Synthesis of Terpenoids
• 4. Synthetic Pathway for Artemisinin
• Figure accompanying sidebar: An Operon Controlled by a Repressor

Sidebar

• Operons and Metabolic Engineering for Drug Production