Technological challenges and milestones for writing genomes.
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Engineering biology with recombinant DNA, broadly called synthetic biology, has progressed tremendously in the last decade, owing to continued industrialization of DNA synthesis, discovery and development of molecular tools and organisms, and increasingly sophisticated modeling and analytic tools. However, we have yet to understand the full potential of engineering biology because of our inability to write and test whole genomes, which we call synthetic genomics. Substantial improvements are needed to reduce the cost and increase the speed and reliability of genetic tools. Here, we identify emerging technologies and improvements to existing methods that will be needed in four major areas to advance synthetic genomics within the next 10 years: genome design, DNA synthesis, genome editing, and chromosome construction (see table). Similar to other large-scale projects for responsible advancement of innovative technologies, such as the Human Genome Project, an international, cross-disciplinary effort consisting of public and private entities will likely yield maximal return on investment and open new avenues of research and biotechnology.
Date Issued
2019-10-18
Date Acceptance
2019-10-01
Citation
Science, 2019, 366 (6463), pp.310-312
ISSN
0036-8075
Publisher
Springer
Start Page
310
End Page
312
Journal / Book Title
Science
Volume
366
Issue
6463
Copyright Statement
© 2019 American Association for the Advancement of Science. This is the author’s version of the work. It is posted here by permission of the AAAS for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Science on Volume 366 18 October 2019, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aay0339
Sponsor
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31624201
PII: 366/6463/310
Grant Number
BB/K019791/1
BB/L027852/1
Subjects
General Science & Technology
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
United States
Date Publish Online
2019-10-18