Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Xiaomei Zeng, Hailun Jiang, Guangying Yang, Yakun Ou, Shan Lu, Jia Jiang, Ruipeng Lei, Li Su
Summary: Synthetic biology is a multidisciplinary field that combines engineering with science, bringing significant changes and benefits to various fields. However, due to its complexity and uncertainty, synthetic biology also poses potential biosecurity risks. Therefore, it is crucial to establish regulations and management practices to ensure biosecurity in synthetic biology. In this paper, the sources of biosecurity risks in synthetic biology are summarized, and the current situation of regulation and management in the international community and China is reviewed. Suggestions for Chinese-specific regulation and management of biosecurity in synthetic biology are proposed, including a top-to-bottom governing framework, implementation mechanism, safeguarding system, and strengthening biosecurity education.
SYNTHETIC AND SYSTEMS BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Engineering, Chemical
Xueying Zhu, Zhaoyang Zhang, Bin Jia, Yingjin Yuan
Summary: Synthetic biotechnology has been widely applied in biochemistry, bioenergy, and therapy, but the uncontrolled spread of GMOs poses unpredictable biosafety risks. Effective biocontainment methods have been developed to address these challenges. This article summarizes recent advances in biocontainment strategies in DNA replication, transcriptional regulation, and protein translation, and introduces the efforts in the biocontainment convention, such as the Tianjin Biosecurity Guidelines.
CHINESE JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Brett J. Kagan, Christopher Gyngell, Tamra Lysaght, Victor M. Cole, Tsutomu Sawai, Julian Savulescu
Summary: This article reviews the key aspects of Synthetic Biological Intelligence (SBI), its potential applications, and the associated ethical concerns. It aims to provide a robust framework for the responsible research and application of SBI technology.
BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Economics
Artem Anyshchenko, Jennifer Yarnold
Summary: This paper discusses the regulation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) by the EU, highlighting the influence of events such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy and public food safety concerns. The differences in approaches between the EU and US regarding GMO regulation have led to conflicts.
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS-POLITICS LAW AND ECONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Gaofeng Wang, Qingqing Kong, Dong Wang, Fahad Asmi
Summary: As a revolutionary field, synthetic biology has extended its influence to humanities and social sciences by introducing biosafety, biosecurity, and ethical issues. This study aims to explore the intellectual bases and research frontiers of synthetic biology in philosophy, ethics, and social sciences. Through knowledge mapping and bibliometric methods, the intellectual structure of synthetic biology research in these fields is analyzed. The study identifies the hotspots of research focus, such as governance, philosophical and ethical concerns, and relevant technologies, providing insights for stakeholders and researchers to understand the cutting-edge ideas and future direction of this field in the post-COVID-19 era.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yakun Ou, Shengjia Guo
Summary: Synthetic biology has made rapid advancements in biomedicine, but also raises safety concerns. This article proposes fundamental principles and practical recommendations to address these risks.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Anders Melin
Summary: Synthetic biology has valuable applications but also poses risks, with bioterrorism being a major concern. Some scholars argue risks are exaggerated, while I believe certain risks, like the creation and spread of known pathogenic viruses, should not be underestimated.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hehe He, Youran Li, Liang Zhang, Zhongyang Ding, Guiyang Shi
Summary: This article aims to provide a systematic introduction to nitrogen metabolism in Bacillus, an important industrial microorganism, and apply its regulatory logic to synthetic biology to improve biosynthesis competitiveness. Understanding the meticulous regulation process of nitrogen metabolism not only facilitates metabolic engineering research but also provides constructive insights and inspiration for studies of other microorganisms.
JOURNAL OF ADVANCED RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Li Tang, Jennifer Kuzma, Xi Zhang, Xinyu Song, Yin Li, Hongxu Liu, Guangyuan Hu
Summary: The governance of synthetic biology (SynBio), an emerging dual use technology, has become a global concern. Despite its late entrance, government funding plays a critical role in China's SynBio research. However, the funding ratio is lower than the national average and there is limited involvement of Chinese social scientists in international academic discussions. Little overlap was found between China's domestic and international output on SynBio and its safety research.
News Item
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Philip Ball
Summary: A pair of studies highlight ethical and legal concerns surrounding the status of lab-grown human embryo models.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Michael T. A. Nguyen, Georgios Pothoulakis, Ebbe S. Andersen
Summary: This study presents an approach for regulating translation in Escherichia coli using the MS2 and PP7 aptamer and coat-protein pairs. It demonstrates that RNA origami scaffolds can activate protein expression, and also shows the regulation of multiple proteins using a single MS2 coat protein fusion.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Debao Huang, Pawel Z. Kosentka, Wusheng Liu
Summary: Recent advances in plant synthetic biology have focused on regulating gene expression at various levels including transcription, mRNA stability, translation, and protein degradation. These developments provide a solid foundation for functional genomics research and crop trait improvement.
CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biochemical Research Methods
Rebecca Mackelprang, Katarzyna P. Adamala, Emily R. Aurand, James C. Diggans, Andrew D. Ellington, Samuel Weiss Evans, J. L. Clem Fortman, Nathan J. Hillson, Albert W. Hinman, Farren J. Isaacs, June Medford, Shadi Mamaghani, Tae Seok Moon, Megan J. Palmer, Jean Peccoud, Elizabeth A. Vitalis, India Hook-Barnard, Douglas C. Friedman
Summary: The rapid development of synthetic biology technologies has led to breakthrough applications with far-reaching implications, particularly in the development of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines for COVID-19. However, there are risks associated with the publication of synthetic biology research and techniques, especially when it comes to the safety and distribution of pathogenic viruses. It is recommended to implement mandatory safety and security reviews for the de novo synthesis of certain pathogenic viruses and to include discussions or review processes regarding security considerations in the published papers, in order to enhance security and minimize negative outcomes.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Kaixin Tan, Yaxin Hu, Zhenghua Liang, Cheuk Yin Li, Wai Laam Yau, Yi Kuang
Summary: Synthetic mRNA circuits control output protein expression by detecting specific input molecules in cells. Existing circuits either enhance or repress protein production upon input binding, but this binary mechanism limits precise control. In this study, bidirectional mRNA circuits were designed to independently control enhancer and repressor modules using different input molecules, resulting in fine-tuning of protein expression. This research expands the capabilities of synthetic mRNA circuits for precise cell manipulation and provides cell-based solutions to biomedical problems.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Prasanjeet Kaur, Archana Chugh
Summary: Synthetic biology, an emerging field combining engineering principles with biology, has multidimensional impacts on humans and requires strict regulation. The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought global attention to bio risks in synthetic biology, highlighting the urgent need for policy making.
ASIAN BIOTECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
(2021)