Synthetic biology is a field of science that involves redesigning species by engineering them to have new capabilities for useful purposes. Researchers in synthetic biology and businesses around the world are harnessing the influence of nature in medicine, engineering, and agriculture to solve problems.
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What are the Functions of Synthetic Biology?
The common objectives of synthetic biology projects are to reinvent organisms so that they create a material, such as a medication or fuel, or acquire a new ability, such as sensing something in the atmosphere. Some examples of what scientists use synthetic biology to build are:
Microorganisms are used to clean toxins from our water, soil, and air for bioremediation.
Rice has been modified to produce beta-carotene, a carrot-associated nutrient that prevents vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A deficiency in 250,000 to 500,000 children causes blindness every year and significantly increases the risk of infectious disease death for a child.
Yeast is built to manufacture rose oil as an eco-friendly and organic alternative for real roses used by perfumers to produce luxury scents.
What is the Difference Between Synthetic Biology and Genome Editing?
In several ways, synthetic biology is similar to another technique called "genome editing" since both include modifying the genetic code of an organism; but, depending on how the alteration is produced, some individuals distinguish these two methods. Scientists usually sew long stretches of DNA together and insert them into the genome or also known as the genetic material of an organism in synthetic biology. These synthesized pieces of DNA may be genes present in other species or may be completely new. On the other hand, in genome editing, scientists usually use techniques to make smaller modifications to the organism's DNA. It is also possible to use genome editing techniques to extract or add tiny stretches of DNA to the genome.
Can People Synthesize an Organism’s Entire Genome?
The response to the question is yes, and it has been completed already. For the first time, in 2002, scientists in the United States synthesized a viral genome. In comparison to the genomes of most bacteria and microorganisms, viral genomes are much smaller. Scientists have shown that the poliovirus can be produced from scratch and have drawn attention to the risk of using synthetic biology to manufacture biological weapons. While this group of researchers did not plan to damage their study, their work raised concerns understandably that bad actors might use synthetic biology for malicious purposes.
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What are Some Ethical and Social Implications of Synthetic Biology?
Projects that advocate the synthesis of whole genomes present critical ethical concerns about possible social harms and benefits. Many of the ethical issues that apply to synthetic biology are close to genome editing ethical discussions. Through redesigning species with synthetic biology techniques, are humans crossing moral boundaries? Who in our society will have access to them if synthetic biology yields new medicines and cures for diseases? What are the consequences of introducing modified species into the ecosystem on the environment?
Conclusion
Overall, synthetic biology involves improving or redesigning certain products or species to create new capabilities for useful purposes. It is essentially changing something to make it better for mankind. A good example of this, as previously stated is how rice has been modified to create a beta-carotene pigment that prevents Vitamin A deficiency.
On the other hand, synthetic biology raises valid ethical questions about the potential harm this process can bring to our society. For instance, scientists showed how the poliovirus can be created from scratch and brought attention to the risk that synthetic biology could be used to develop biological weapons. This shows how a great discovery that can lead to salvation can also cause many issues such as biological warfare.
Written by The New Person
The Anonymous Helpers (TAH)