This article is the transcript of a talk given by an iGEM participant from IISER Bhopal who’s incredibly passionate about science and wants to inspire young high school students to pursue scientific research. Amey Danole, the speaker, will be briefly introducing the students to the emerging field of synthetic biology (synbio for short) and giving them a glimpse of how the practice of synbio is making our lives better.

Amey: Hello everyone. How are you all doing? Today, I am going to take you through the exciting field of synthetic biology. By the end of this, I hope you all are able to design some aspects of synbio in your minds.

To [begin], what do you think synthetic biology is?

I can give you a hint – it’s equivalent to renovating your home. Now, what could it be in terms of biology?

Student 1: Judging by the topic of the talk, I think it’s got something to do with making useful substances using the biology of cells.

Amey: [Absolutely] right you are! Now let me ask you another question - mind you, it’s relevant - have you ever played with Legos?

*confused faces with huge smiles*

Amey: Huh, my bad, who hasn’t played with Legos. Now, what if I say that synthetic biology is similar to a game of Legos. You create meaningful objects using Legos and re-design the same object by adding or removing Legos to form something else. This is exactly what happens in synthetic biology. You add DNA sequences in the genome of different organisms to produce useful substances for yourself.

Synthetic biology is an area of research where you create new biological systems or re-design systems that already exist in nature by engineering cells to produce useful products. Each piece of DNA stores information for different proteins. All you need to do in synthetic biology is identify the DNA piece of interest, incorporate it into a growing biological system, and let the system produce the product for you.

Synthetic biology involves the use of methodologies from various branches of biology, including biotechnology, genetic engineering, molecular biology, and whatnot. Advancements in genetic engineering and genetic sequencing have further boosted the scope of this field in identifying crucial pieces of information for genetic manipulation. In addition, improvements in the cost and speed of DNA synthesis have enabled scientists to design and manipulate biological systems for human benefits.

Student 2: Does synthetic biology also involve crazy scientists making glowing animals?

*giggles all around*

Amey: Indeed! Crazy scientists perform crazy experiments in their laboratories, and engineering glowing animals is one of them. All you need is the genetic sequence for bioluminescence and the organism that you intend to glow. Bioluminescent organisms offer a treasure trove of light-emitting enzymes that have huge applications in the areas of bioengineering, from biosensors to medical science. However, it does not mean that you will go around making glowing animals; it is impractical and restricted. Remember that synthetic biology is a potent tool that has to be used very carefully.

Student 3: If the genetic material of organisms can be manipulated, does it also mean that coronavirus could be human-made?

Amey: Well, let’s hope it’s not! Benefits come at a cost. While synbio is making life much easier by providing valuable substances, it is also being exploited to produce biological warfare. Although bioweapons have been used in war for many centuries, a recent surge in genetic understanding as well as a rapid growth in computational power has allowed genetic engineering to play a more prominent role in the development of new bioweapons.

Now, you can engineer new deadly pathogens with increased virulence, drug resistivity, and infectivity. While the positive societal implications of improved synthetic biology are apparent, the “black biology” of bioweapons development may be one of the gravest threats to humankind and the environment. However, experiments concerning bioweapons are strictly prohibited in various countries, so you all are safe. Also, no evidence has been found suggesting that coronavirus is human-made, which means that you don’t need to worry. But still, stay safe and wear masks.

*fear and relief on faces*

Amey: I didn’t mean to [scare] you all. Let’s talk about some positive aspects of synbio, shall we?

Over the years, synthetic biology has proven to be a tremendous helping hand in improving areas such as agriculture and medicine. For example, synbio has been used to develop bio-factories by engineering bacterias with desired genes to produce medicines, proteins, and other biofuels. It has also been [implemented] to produce nutrient-rich crops such as vitamin-A enriched rice. Other variety of applications ranges from drug delivery to ending the Covid-19 pandemic, and, of course, designing some glowing animals.

Student 4: If synthetic biology can create new organisms by altering their genetic material, can it also be used to bring back extinct species?

Amey: A Jurassic World fan, it seems! Indeed, you can bring back extinct species with the aid of synthetic biology. At present, the synthetic biology and conservation communities are largely strangers to one another, even though they both share many of the same concerns and goals.

However, synthetic biology can have a potential impact in the field of conservation. For example, you can take a preserved cell from a recently extinct animal, extract and swap its nucleus into an egg cell from the animal’s closest living relative, and implant the egg into a surrogate host. Another option is by using genetic engineering tools, you can swap relevant genes from the extinct animal into the living species and implant the hybrid genome into a surrogate. Cloning can also be used to make identical genetic copies of extinct species for increasing their population.

As cool as it might be to find woolly mammoth and saber-toothed tigers in the wild, the real world can’t have a Jurassic Park as there is more to do with conserving these animals than any other reason. The main goal in conserving selective species is to restore the ecological balance and its function. While there are a lot of ethical and technical issues involved in applying synthetic biology for conservation, it definitely provides tremendous potential for the restoration of ecology.

Student 5: Can we increase the life expectancy of humans or maybe, create immortal humans?

Amey: Well, someone here doesn’t want to see wrinkles on their face. But yes, synthetic biology can indeed be used for increasing the lifespan of an individual or, in fact, prevent ageing.

See it this way – as you age, you face a number of age-related diseases. The treatment requires a huge variety of health care items, such as drugs that are manufactured using the methodologies of synthetic biology. Healthcare items aid an individual to fight off diseases, thereby leading to an increased life span.

Another way of increasing life span is by literally delaying the process of ageing. You start ageing when your cellular machinery is no longer able to cope up with the body’s requirements, causing cell senescence. What if I say that you can use synthetic biology to alter the cellular repair machinery and boost its ability to repair any damages within the body. Isn’t that amazing?

There is a whole new emerging area dedicated to ageing research that tries to do precisely the same. So immortality can be achieved, but it ain’t happening any time soon as it involves lots of ethical issues and decades of research that might age you.

*another hand raises*

*and then another*

Amey: Hold on! You all seem really passionate about synthetic biology. But the time is ticking, so let’s call it a day. I am sure that you’ll find your answers about the immense field of synbio on @igemiiserb. It was an absolute pleasure talking to you guys. Till then, take care and keep playing Legos.

*clapping all around*

-Gangothri