Synergistic Synthetic Biology: Units In Concert
Synthetic biology aims at translating the methods and strategies from engineering into biology in order to streamline the design and construction of biological devices through standardized parts. Modular synthetic biology devices are designed by means of an adequate elimination of cross-talk that ma...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2013-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fbioe.2013.00011/full |
| _version_ | 1828544565927215104 |
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| author | Jean-Yves eTrosset Pablo eCarbonell Pablo eCarbonell |
| author_facet | Jean-Yves eTrosset Pablo eCarbonell Pablo eCarbonell |
| author_sort | Jean-Yves eTrosset |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Synthetic biology aims at translating the methods and strategies from engineering into biology in order to streamline the design and construction of biological devices through standardized parts. Modular synthetic biology devices are designed by means of an adequate elimination of cross-talk that makes circuits orthogonal and specific. To that end, synthetic constructs need to be adequately optimized through in silico modeling by choosing the right complement of genetic parts and by experimental tuning through directed evolution and craftsmanship. In this review, we consider an additional and complementary tool available to the synthetic biologist for innovative design and successful construction of desired circuit functionalities: biological synergies. Synergy is a prevalent emergent property in biological systems that arises from the concerted action of multiple factors producing an amplification or cancellation effect compared with individual actions alone. Synergies appear in domains as diverse as those involved in chemical and protein activity, polypharmacology, and metabolic pathway complementarity. In conventional synthetic biology designs, synergistic cross-talk between parts and modules is generally attenuated in order to verify their orthogonality. Synergistic interactions, however, can induce emergent behavior that might prove useful for synthetic biology applications, like in functional circuit design, multidrug treatment, or in sensing and delivery devices. Synergistic design principles are therefore complementary to those coming from orthogonal design and may provide added value to synthetic biology applications. The appropriate modeling, characterization, and design of synergies between biological parts and units will allow the discovery of yet unforeseeable, novel synthetic biology applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T02:33:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-efa963d2f1c54f56b9ab99a40ee3379f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-4185 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T02:33:29Z |
| publishDate | 2013-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology |
| spelling | doaj.art-efa963d2f1c54f56b9ab99a40ee3379f2022-12-22T00:41:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology2296-41852013-10-01110.3389/fbioe.2013.0001165345Synergistic Synthetic Biology: Units In ConcertJean-Yves eTrosset0Pablo eCarbonell1Pablo eCarbonell2Sup'BiotechUniversity of Evry-Val d'EssonneCNRSSynthetic biology aims at translating the methods and strategies from engineering into biology in order to streamline the design and construction of biological devices through standardized parts. Modular synthetic biology devices are designed by means of an adequate elimination of cross-talk that makes circuits orthogonal and specific. To that end, synthetic constructs need to be adequately optimized through in silico modeling by choosing the right complement of genetic parts and by experimental tuning through directed evolution and craftsmanship. In this review, we consider an additional and complementary tool available to the synthetic biologist for innovative design and successful construction of desired circuit functionalities: biological synergies. Synergy is a prevalent emergent property in biological systems that arises from the concerted action of multiple factors producing an amplification or cancellation effect compared with individual actions alone. Synergies appear in domains as diverse as those involved in chemical and protein activity, polypharmacology, and metabolic pathway complementarity. In conventional synthetic biology designs, synergistic cross-talk between parts and modules is generally attenuated in order to verify their orthogonality. Synergistic interactions, however, can induce emergent behavior that might prove useful for synthetic biology applications, like in functional circuit design, multidrug treatment, or in sensing and delivery devices. Synergistic design principles are therefore complementary to those coming from orthogonal design and may provide added value to synthetic biology applications. The appropriate modeling, characterization, and design of synergies between biological parts and units will allow the discovery of yet unforeseeable, novel synthetic biology applications.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fbioe.2013.00011/fullMetabolic EngineeringSynthetic BiologyMetabolic Networksmultidrug resistancecouplingSynergy |
| spellingShingle | Jean-Yves eTrosset Pablo eCarbonell Pablo eCarbonell Synergistic Synthetic Biology: Units In Concert Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology Metabolic Engineering Synthetic Biology Metabolic Networks multidrug resistance coupling Synergy |
| title | Synergistic Synthetic Biology: Units In Concert |
| title_full | Synergistic Synthetic Biology: Units In Concert |
| title_fullStr | Synergistic Synthetic Biology: Units In Concert |
| title_full_unstemmed | Synergistic Synthetic Biology: Units In Concert |
| title_short | Synergistic Synthetic Biology: Units In Concert |
| title_sort | synergistic synthetic biology units in concert |
| topic | Metabolic Engineering Synthetic Biology Metabolic Networks multidrug resistance coupling Synergy |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fbioe.2013.00011/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jeanyvesetrosset synergisticsyntheticbiologyunitsinconcert AT pabloecarbonell synergisticsyntheticbiologyunitsinconcert AT pabloecarbonell synergisticsyntheticbiologyunitsinconcert |