Genome reprogramming for synthetic biology

Abstract

The ability to go from a digitized DNA sequence to a predictable biological function is central to synthetic biology. Genome engineering tools facilitate rewriting and implementation of engineered DNA sequences. Recent development of new programmable tools to reengineer genomes has spurred myriad advances in synthetic biology. Tools such as clustered regularly interspace short palindromic repeats enable RNA-guided rational redesign of organisms and implementation of synthetic gene systems. New directed evolution methods generate organisms with radically restructured genomes. These restructured organisms have useful new phenotypes for biotechnology, such as bacteriophage resistance and increased genetic stability. Advanced DNA synthesis and assembly methods have also enabled the construction of fully synthetic organisms, such as J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI)-syn 3.0. Here we summarize the recent advances in programmable genome engineering tools.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

CRISPR / genome engineering / synthetic biology / rational design

References

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Acknowledgements

Work by the Xiao Wang laboratory has been supported by National Institutes of Health Grant GM106081.

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2017 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg