How is it different from traditional agricultural breeding What is and genetic engineering? Synthetic biology uses new techniques combining biology and COMPLEXITY OF HUMAN INTERVENTION engineering to make new or modified living things and materials. Throughout history, humans have strived to create COMPLEXITY more desirable products such as food that is easier to grow and tastes better. Synthetic biology builds on the science of Synthetic Natural evolution agricultural breeding and genetic engineering to create new things faster and cheaper in even more controlled and specific Traditional agricultural ways. The field is exploring where biology-based products breeding might provide solutions to a wide diversity of problems in Genetic engineering Biology? health, energy, and the environment. Synthetic biology Traditional Agricultural Breeding Genetic Engineering Synthetic Biology PLANT FIREFLY CELL FISH BACTERIA Big leaves BACTERIA CELL FISH Tall height PLANT WITH PLANT WITH DNA FROM ANOTHER ORGANISM DESIRABLE TRAIT #1 DESIRABLE TRAIT #2 with a desirable trait FUNCTION #1 FUNCTION #2 FUNCTION #3 FUNCTION #4 FUNCTION #5 CORN TOOLBOX OF BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS IN THE LAB scientists insert individual X genes from different organisms into a plant’s DNA SEED SELECTION CROSSBREEDING choosing seeds from plants breeding closely-related plants with desirable traits with desirable traits NEW PLANT has desirable trait or NEW PLANT traits that would not has a mix of traits, occur naturally and may or may not Big leaves have the right and tall height mix of desirable traits DNA from different NEW OR MODIFIED organisms that would LIVING ORGANISMS not exist in nature AND MATERIALS Humans have been using selective breeding for 10,000 years to improve Genetic engineering is a way to speed up and control the plant breeding Synthetic biology is a new way of combining biology and engineering to create agricultural plants and animals. Farmers choose seeds for future planting process by altering or inserting specific genes into a new living organism. new or modified living organisms and materials that do not currently exist in from plants with the best traits selecting for taste, color, disease resistance, the natural world. Scientists can insert individual genes from one living organism into another and productivity. using biotechnology methods. DNA does not need to come from a closely Scientists are developing a library of standard biological parts with known Farmers and scientists have been cross-breeding closely related species related species. functions that can be put together in combinations that may not exist in nature. for hundreds of years to create new hybrids. Scientists have used genetic engineering to create plants with desirable Using building blocks of DNA, scientists create modified or new living organisms. Crossbreeding can occur only between closely related living organisms. traits such as increased productivity, disease resistance, increased Synthetic (human-made) DNA can even be printed using a special printer. Hybrids inherit a mix of genes from both parent plants including both nutritional value, and herbicide resistance. With synthetic biology, cells can be programmed to become tiny factories that positive and negative traits, it is not specific to just one gene. produce new materials. New materials can be grown from modified bacteria, algae, or yeast. EXAMPLES: EXAMPLES: EXAMPLES: Most modern fruits and vegetables are hybrids of ancient wild plants. Almost all corn, soybeans, cotton, sugar beets, and canola plants grown Future synthetic biology products may include new materials, Cross-breeding has created many new and unique varieties. in the United States are genetically modified organisms (GMOs). energy sources, medicines, and food. Anti-malaria drug Glowing plant Less expensive malaria drugs Using an enzyme from fireflies, scientists have created a modified plant that glows in Rutabaga Grapefruit Insect-resistant corn Herbicide-tolerant can be grown from modified yeast sugar beets the dark they hope could one day replace A cross between A cross between Includes a gene from soil bacteria electric street lights turnips and cabbages pomelos and oranges that is toxic to some insects Genetically modified beets tolerate herbicide spray (Roundup) used to kill weeds More sustainable Vanilla made from yeast Virus-resistant papaya More nutritious rice Apples Corn laundry detergent Synthetic vanilla can be grown from Genetically modified to resist the Golden Rice has been genetically Oils grown from modified algae can modified yeast; it is less expensive than Many different flavors, Increased size and ringspot virus by adding a gene fragment engineered to include beta-carotene, take the place of palm oil; avoiding pure vanilla from vanilla beans and colors and textures productivity from the virus the source of Vitamin A harvesting oil from palm trees, which tastes better than artificial vanilla can damage rainforests GENES & DNA CELL Genes are a set of instructions that determine how a living organism forms and grows. Genes influence what we look like on the outside and how we work on the DNA inside. Genes are made of a chemical called DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). DNA molecules are located inside a cell nucleus; DNA carries information and can copy itself. Adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G) are the four GENE nucleotides found in DNA. CHROMOSOME LATE 1859: 1980s: 1990s: 2013: Charles Darwin publishes First genetically Genetically Synthetic biology 10,000 "The Origin of the Species” engineered engineered foods scientists raise funds YEARS AGO: on the theory of evolution plants developed (GMOs) are using Kickstarter by natural selection available in grocery campaign to create Humans begin stores in the US glowing plants using selective breeding to improve agricultural plants and animals 1700s: 1865: 1953: 1990: 1994: 2010s: Farmers and scientists begin Gregor Mendel's pea-breeding James Watson and Francis First genetically engineered First GMO crop, the First synthetic cross-breeding closely related experiments demonstrate Crick describe the double food product approved in Flavr Savr tomato, is biology products species to create new hybrids heredity becoming the foundation helix structure of DNA the US—an enzyme used in approved by the FDA for in use of modern genetics cheese making marketing in the US.