Synthetics Genomics:Creating Synthetic Life

Genomics is the science of study of the genetic structure of organisms, DNA coding and its manipulation. Synthetic genomics is a new branch of genomics which involves the synthetic creation of genetic matter. DNA holds the genetic information of the cell and Synthetic genomics aims at creating artificial DNA and hence create artificial life. DNA is chemically synthesized and computational and bioinformatics techniques are used to code and design the favorable genetic structure. Until the development of Synthetic genomics, the ways by which genetic structure changed was through evolution and artificially through induced mutation. But, the result of induced mutation will not be specific. With Synthetic genomics, the whole genetic hardware of the cell could be changed and the cell as a whole will work according to the newly synthesized genome.

This has paved way for a new era in genetic biology. Scientists can now create organisms with unique and useful genetic material that was marked as impossible to obtain. With Synthetic genomics, small chromosome segments, genes, gene processing or even an entirely new genome could be produced to make the organism give the desired result. This has given scientists to foresee newer advancements like production of biofuels and specific vaccines against diseases.

De Novo synthesis of gene segments has been used since 35 years, but creating a whole genome from this would take years. This has become easier now with Synthetic genomics where DNA synthesizers are used to create genetic material using reagents quicker than the earlier methods. Har Gobind Khorana and his 17 co-workers first synthesised the gene in 1970s. Since then scientists have been working on creating synthetic genes by the basics of Synthetic genomics. Recombinant DNA techniques was largely followed till recent times as time consuming rDNA techniques have been replaced largely with Synthetic genomics.

The first artificial life was created through Synthetic genomics in May 2010, when Craig Venter and his team created an entirely new bacterial genome. It has been called rightly as designer organism as the scientist designs the genome of the cell from scratch. The bacterium thus produced was watermarked by the scientists so that at any level of its progeny, the scientist will be able to identify it as synthesized. Synthetic Genomics Inc. was found by Craig Venter and team now aims to produce biofuels from genetically synthesized microbes.

Synthetic Genomics Inc. aims to produce the highly demanded Ethanol from algae produced through synthetic genomics. The scientists aim to produce new algal cells that would release oils which can be later refined to produce biofuels. The project is funded at $600 million by ExxonMobil. There are other researches in Synthetic genomics like methods to increase the hydrocarbon recovery by using microbes and also advanced agricultural products from synthetic genomics. The proper assembly of the genome and its expression in the cell is the major challenge faced by scientists.

As with any other technological advancement, synthetic genomics has also several associated risks. The potential risks that Synthetic genomics might pose to the future include bioterrorism, health risks to scientists and laboratory workers and possible leak of synthetically structured organism’s intro the environment creating environmental imbalance. Considering the technology available today, constructing even a simple virus is very difficult but with technological advancements, this process might become easy. Synthetic genomics can be used to produce bacteria or virus which can be used in bio warfare or bioterrorism. Viruses which had posed severe threat though the disease they caused like the Variola virus of 1918 could be reproduced through Synthetic genomics. But, according to reports, even without these Synthetic genomics advancements, there are several other methods of bio-war and bio-terrorism and the risks with every technology remains, yet strict precautions are taken.