Synthetic Biology in Perspective
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SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY Grzegorz GRYNKIEWICZ DOI: 10.15199/180.2019.4.1 Professor in Pharmaceutical Research Institute ORCID: 0000-0003-2439-2443 Łukasiewicz R&D Network, Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Rydygiera 8, 01-793 Warszawa, e-mail: [email protected] SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY IN PERSPECTIVE BIOLOGIA SYNTETYCZNA Summary: Towards the end of the XXth century, genetics expanded its scope not only Streszczenie: Na przełomie stuleci genetyka zyskała, w wyniku dogłębnych badań in the field of structure and mechanisms of heredity, owing to progress in nucleic acid nad kwasami nukleinowymi, nowe specyficzne narzędzia modyfikacji materiału research including efficient sequencing and reassembly methods, but in acquiring genetycznego, nieporównywalnie skuteczniejsze od wykorzystywanych uprzednio precise tools which enable construction of new forms of life. Synthetic biology marks przypadkowych mutacji z następczą selekcją. W wyniku rozwoju różnych form a radical change in practices of genetic manipulation from random mutations followed biotechnologii, korzystających z narzędzi inżynierii genetycznej wyłoniła się (najpierw by selection, to design of specific DNA transformations attainable by application of w formie postulatywnej) biologia syntetyczna, zakładając wykorzystanie funkcjonalnych genetic engineering methods. Mastering enzymatic gene splicing procedures and biomakromolekuł jako elementów zamiennych (cegiełek lub podzespołów) do chemical synthesis of polynucleotides allowed perceiving macromolecules of life as projektowania i konstrukcji większych modułów, systemów a wreszcie organizmów, “parts” or “bricks” amenable to specification, cataloguing and also fit for applications spełniających z góry zadane założenia metaboliczne. Zadaniem biologii syntetycznej commensurable with the rules of engineering. The purpose of synthetic biology is to jest zapewnienie dostępności (docelowo w skali procesów przemysłowych) układów apply defined macromolecular constructs (abstracted from living matter or synthetic) biologicznych zdolnych do korzystnego przetwarzania energii (szczególnie solarnej), as modules for construction of devices, sensors or switches, which can ultimately transformacji składników biomasy w niskoemisyjne paliwa, półprodukty chemiczne, be integrated into self-sustained systems. Target applications of synthetic biology biopolimery oraz składniki żywności i leków. Inne zastosowania biologii syntetycznej products ranges from biotechnological manufacturing of energy, fuels, chemicals, koncentrują się w obszarze ochrony zdrowia; projektowane obecnie konstrukty będą food and pharmaceuticals, through marker sensors and diagnostic devices, to various spełniać role markerów i sensorów dla diagnostyki, probiotyków dla profilaktyki oraz classes of therapeutics like antibodies, vaccines, probiotic microbes or modified immune przeciwciał, szczepionek a nawet celowo reprogramowanych komórek (np. układu cells. Thus, synthetic biology becomes an integral part of the prospective switch from immunologicznego) dla terapii lub medycyny rekonstrukcyjnej. present industrial reality to circular bioeconomy, which is the greatest challenge facing Słowa kluczowe: bioekonomia, bioinżynieria, biotechnologia, ksenobiologia, humanity. biotransformacje, konstrukty biologiczne, organizmy genetycznie modyfikowane Keywords: bioeconomy, bioengineering, biotechnology, xenobiology, biotransformations, biological constructs and devices, genetically modified organisms Introduction human factors in phenomena like global warming, though other There is a general tendency to perceive the anthropocene period visible environmental damages are easily attributable to industrial of the earth history in a dual and controversial perspective: as a rise wastes, which cause legitimate public concerns deserving to be of triumphant technical civilization able to support and sustain (at treated with the utmost caution [4-6]. The industrial double-edge least thus far) large and dynamically growing populations, versus sword seems to have drawn much attention recently, with experts grim catastrophic perspective of inevitable global planetary damage suggesting that currently existing branches of manufacture can caused by basically the same anthropogenic factors which stem be made much safer, environment and human-friendly, basically from global industrialization. by some gradual introduction of suitable laws and regulations [7- It seems natural to look in time of predictable crisis towards 8]. However, it is reasonable to point out that history of civilization Science as an ultimate guiding light, for general strategy as well as abounds in quantum leaps, which evoke new cycles based on for particular technical solutions. Alas, many intellectualists share exploitation of radical scientific and technological innovations. an opinion that scientific knowledge tends to be mismanaged by In the life sciences domain we are currently experiencing, political forces, adding to already defined technical risk factors of apart from incredible burst of information related technologies, industrial civilization [1-3]. Also, paradoxically, there are not clear remarkably dynamic translation of material manufacturing cut and unanimous answers to simple questions about causative processes from synthetic organic chemistry to a novel realm of Polish Technical Review No. 4/2019 5 SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY Fig. 1. Green Chemistry pricipals. Source: www.buddhajeans.com/encyclopedia synthetic biology (SynBio), which emerged from more traditional to create new substances, based on mineral as well as organic disciplines as biochemistry, genetics, and classical biotechnology, natural resources. with notable help of genetic engineering [9-11]. Based on already From the time of serendipitous transformation of inorganic developed methodologies, it can be predicted that large sectors of ammonium isocyanate salt into typically organic urea molecule, production focused on such materials as fuels, polymers, chemical discovered by F. Wöhler in 1828 (by which date some hundreds intermediates, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food additives and even of pure compounds of natural origin, like organic acids and their nutrients, will transit from category of chemical processes to the salts, alkaloids and their salts, glycosides and their components, most advanced new forms of biotechnology. etc., were already known) the collection of individual low molecular New bioeconomy, which is already present in the EU programs weight entities has grown to ca. 108 compounds, supplemented and regulations will rely to a large extent, on implementing SynBio by rather difficult to assess number of new polymeric materials. principles for newly designed biological systems specialized in Thus, chemistry demonstrated unprecedented ability to create realizing complex biogenetical and metabolic sequences for mass previously nonexistent forms of matter, as well as facility to obtain production of organic materials [12-14]. It should be remembered by assembling from simpler elements, even the most complicated that such transition from chemical to biological technologies, structures made by living organisms [16-18]. which in principle should help preservation of natural resources The total synthesis of complex organic molecules of natural and slowing down environmental degradation, became feasible origin, such as alkaloids, isoprenoids and acetogenins became owing to fundamental discoveries made by generations of the 20th initially a hallmark of academic excellence, but were soon followed century scientists [15], among which some towering figures from by industrial achievements such as technical syntheses of biogenic Polish academic circles deserve particular attention as SynBio co- amines, vitamins, hormones, antibiotics and their synthetic founders. pharmaceutical mimetics and congeners [18-19]. The key role of discoveries in the field of catalysis (evolving from metal complexes, The era of omnipotent chemistry to biocatalysis and organocatalysis, along to newly created Modern chemistry, armored by atomic and molecular theories, principles of Green Chemistry) has been underlined as evidence of and supplemented with potent analytical tools, as well as plethora of catalytic chemical processes efficiency, crucial for economical and methods (chemical reactions) for bond making and bond breaking, environmental reasons [20]. is less than two centuries old. Within that time, it has managed Mastering organic synthesis, involving many thousands of (with considerable help of equipment designed based on physical reactions and complex networks of competing pathways seemed phenomena) to provide basic methodologies for identification, particularly well suited for engagement of informatic tools to quantification, and structural analysis of compounds and composite support choice of synthetic schemes for experimental validation. materials found in surrounding environment. Moreover, driven by an Fundamental concept of rethrosynthetic analysis, designed by ancient idea of metal transmutation, it strived from the beginning, R. Woodward and E.J. Corey [21-22] proved invaluable as a tool 6 Polish Technical Review No. 4/2019 SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY Fot. 1. E. J. Corey (left) and Robert B. Woodward (right) at a conference in Uppsala, down towards nanotechnology, microfluidics, microreactors, Sweden nanoswitches, microdevices etc. At this end the convergence of Source: researchgate.net traditionally divided “two cultures” of chemistry and biology [28] becomes inevitable as they both