sign in sign up
<<
Home , Biotechnology, Genetic engineering, Plant breeding, Selective breeding

How is it different from traditional agricultural breeding and genetic ? Synthetic uses new techniques combining biology and engineering to make new or modified living things and materials. Throughout history, have strived to create more desirable What is products such as that is easier to grow and tastes better. builds on the of agricultural breeding and to create new things faster and cheaper in even more Synthetic controlled and specific ways. COMPLEXITY OF INTERVENTION Biology? COMPLEXITY Natural

Traditional agricultural breeding Genetic engineering

Synthetic biology & DNA The building blocks of all Genes are a set of instructions that determine how a living forms and grows. Genes influence what we look like on the outside and how we work on the inside. Genes are made of a chemical called DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). DNA molecules are located inside a nucleus; DNA carries information and can copy itself. Adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G) are the four found in DNA.

CELL DNA

CHROMOSOME Timeline How genetic manipulation has evolved

10,000 LATE YEARS 1859: : 1990s: 2013: AGO: First genetically Genetically Synthetic Humans publishes "The engineered engineered biology begin using Origin of the developed (GMOs) raise selective Species” on the are available in funds using breeding of grocery stores Kickstarter to improve evolution by in the US campaign to agricultural natural create glowing plants and selection plants

1700s: 1865: 1953: 1990: 1994: 2010s: Farmers and 's James First genetically First GMO First scientists begin -breeding and Francis engineered food , the synthetic cross-breeding experiments Crick describe approved biology closely related demonstrate the double in the US—an , is products species to helix used in approved by in use create new becoming the of DNA cheese making the FDA for hybrids foundation of marketing in modern the US Humans have been using for 10,000 Traditional years to improve agricultural plants and animals. Farmers choose seeds for future planting from plants with the best traits selecting for taste, color, resistance, and Agricultural Breeding . Farmers and scientists have been cross-breeding closely related species for hundreds of years to create new hybrids. Big leaves Crossbreeding can occur only between closely related living . Hybrids inherit a mix of genes from both Tall height parent plants including both positive and negative traits, it is not specific to just one gene.

PLANT WITH WITH DESIRABLE TRAIT #1 DESIRABLE TRAIT #2 EXAMPLES: Most modern fruits and are hybrids of ancient wild plants. Cross-breeding has created many new and unique varieties.

X

SEED SELECTION CROSSBREEDING choosing seeds from plants breeding closely-related plants with desirable traits with desirable traits Rutabaga Grapefruit A cross between turnips A cross between and pomelos and oranges

NEW PLANT has a mix of traits, and may or may not Big leaves have the right and tall height mix of desirable traits Apples Corn Many different flavors, Increased size and colors and textures productivity Genetic engineering is a way to speed up and control the process by altering or inserting specific Genetic Engineering genes into a new living organism. Scientists can insert individual genes from one living organism into another using methods. DNA does not need to come from a closely related species. Scientists have used genetic engineering to create plants with desirable traits such as increased productivity, disease resistance, increased nutritional value, and resistance.

DNA FROM ANOTHER ORGANISM with a desirable trait CORN EXAMPLES: Almost all corn, , , sugar beets, and canola plants grown in the are genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

IN THE LAB scientists insert individual genes from different organisms into a plant’s DNA

Insect-resistant corn Herbicide-tolerant sugar beets Includes a gene from soil bacteria that is toxic to some Genetically modified beets tolerate herbicide spray () used to kill weeds NEW PLANT has desirable trait or traits that would not occur naturally

DNA -resistant papaya More nutritious from different organisms that would Genetically modified to resist the has been not exist in ringspot virus by adding a gene genetically engineered to fragment from the virus include beta-, the source of Vitamin A Synthetic biology is a new way of combining biology and engineering to create new or modified living organisms and Synthetic Biology materials that do not currently exist in the natural world. Scientists are developing a of standard biological parts with known functions that can be put together in FIREFLY combinations that may not exist in nature. CELL PLANT FISH BACTERIA CELL FISH Using building blocks of DNA, scientists create modified or new living organisms. Synthetic (human-made) DNA can even be printed using a special printer. With synthetic biology, cells can be programmed to become tiny factories that produce new materials. New materials can be grown from modified bacteria, , or .

FUNCTION #1 #2 FUNCTION #3 FUNCTION #4 FUNCTION #5

EXAMPLES: Future synthetic biology products may include new materials, energy sources, , and food. TOOLBOX OF BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS

Anti- drug Glowing plant Less expensive malaria drugs Using an enzyme from fireflies, can be grown from modified yeast scientists have created a modified plant that glows in the dark they hope could one day replace electric street lights

More sustainable laundry detergent Vanilla made from yeast NEW OR MODIFIED Oils grown from modified algae can Synthetic vanilla can be grown from LIVING ORGANISMS take the place of ; avoiding modified yeast; it is less expensive AND MATERIALS harvesting oil from palm trees which than pure vanilla from vanilla beans can damage rainforest and tastes better than artificial vanilla