Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Synthetic Biology

Synthetic Biology

Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary science that involves using principles from disciplines such as engineering, molecular biology, cell biology, and systems biology. It involves remodeling existing organisms from nature or constructing completely new synthetic organisms for applications such as protein or enzyme production, bioremediation, value-added macromolecule production, and the addition of desirable traits to crops, to name a few.
Golden rice
Golden rice is a genetically modified...

Bioreactor Controls-III

Bioreactor Controls-III

Strain improvement is a foundational strategy in industrial microbiology aimed at maximizing microbial productivity, particularly because natural isolates typically yield commercially valuable products in very low concentrations. Although optimizing the culture medium and environmental conditions can improve yields, these adjustments are inherently limited by the organism’s genetic potential. As a result, the focus shifts toward genetic modifications to enhance biosynthetic capacity. The...

iChip

iChip

The cultivation of environmental microorganisms has long been hindered by the inability to replicate complex native conditions in vitro. The isolation chip (iChip) addresses this limitation by facilitating the growth of previously uncultivable microorganisms through in situ incubation. Designed for high-throughput microbial cultivation, the iChip comprises hundreds of microchambers, each capable of housing a single microbial cell. These microchambers are loaded with a mixture of molten agar and...

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...

Biosynthesis in Bacteria

Biosynthesis in Bacteria

Biosynthesis in bacteria is a fundamental anabolic process that generates essential macromolecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and polysaccharides. These macromolecules are critical for cellular growth, replication, and function. The process is tightly regulated and energetically linked to catabolic pathways to ensure optimal resource utilization.Biosynthetic pathways begin with precursor metabolites such as pyruvate, acetyl-CoA, and glucose-6-phosphate derived from glycolysis,...

Microbial Biosensors

Microbial Biosensors

Microbial biosensors are analytical devices that utilize living microbes to detect specific substances through measurable signals. These devices consist of two main components: biosensing organisms and signal-transducing elements. Biosensing organisms, such as Escherichia coli or Saccharomyces cerevisiae, are typically housed in multiwell plates connected to transducers, enabling rapid, real-time detection of target analytes.Signal Generation MechanismWhen a target analyte—such as...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Effects of Obesity on Minimally Invasive Lumbar Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

International journal of spine surgery·2026

Same author

Beyond the two-year trial: real-World failure mechanisms of the simplify cervical disc.

European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society·2025

Same author

Patient outcomes and surgical strategies in revision cervical arthroplasty following M6-C™ disc-related osteolysis.

European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society·2025

Same author

A transdisciplinary, comparative analysis reveals key risks from Arctic permafrost thaw.

Communications earth & environment·2025

Same author

Efficacy of Stand-Alone Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion With PEEK Cages, BMP-2, and Allografts for Treating Discogenic Low Back Pain: Assessing Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes.

International journal of spine surgery·2024

Same author

Revisiting the activity of two poly(vinyl chloride)- and polyethylene-degrading enzymes.

Nature communications·2024

Same journal

Bacterial spores as a modular platform for the production of amyloids for materials.

Trends in biotechnology·2026

Same journal

The oriGen case and Mexico's regulatory blind spots in genomic biobanking.

Trends in biotechnology·2026

Same journal

A caspase-3-activated protein expression system for apoptosis visualization and apoptosis-pyroptosis conversion to boost antitumor activity.

Trends in biotechnology·2026

Same journal

Over 4 months of ethylene production using solid-state photosynthetic cell factories.

Trends in biotechnology·2026

Same journal

Closing the nitrogen loop in groundwater with biohybrid technologies.

Trends in biotechnology·2026

Same journal

Engineering environmental bacteria for whole-cell PET hydrolysis and assimilation.

Trends in biotechnology·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Using Synthetic Biology to Engineer Living Cells That Interface with Programmable Materials

Using Synthetic Biology to Engineer Living Cells That Interface with Programmable Materials

Published on: March 9, 2017

Engineering microbes with synthetic biology frameworks.

Effendi Leonard¹, David Nielsen, Kevin Solomon

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.

Trends in Biotechnology

|November 4, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Synthetic biology offers a systematic approach to standardize biological parts, enhancing predictability in engineered systems. This field is advancing microbial engineering by creating modular biological components.

More Related Videos

Rapid Characterization of Genetic Parts with Cell-Free Systems

Rapid Characterization of Genetic Parts with Cell-Free Systems

Published on: August 30, 2021

Automated Robotic Liquid Handling Assembly of Modular DNA Devices

Automated Robotic Liquid Handling Assembly of Modular DNA Devices

Published on: December 1, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Using Synthetic Biology to Engineer Living Cells That Interface with Programmable Materials

Using Synthetic Biology to Engineer Living Cells That Interface with Programmable Materials

Published on: March 9, 2017

Rapid Characterization of Genetic Parts with Cell-Free Systems

Rapid Characterization of Genetic Parts with Cell-Free Systems

Published on: August 30, 2021

Automated Robotic Liquid Handling Assembly of Modular DNA Devices

Automated Robotic Liquid Handling Assembly of Modular DNA Devices

Published on: December 1, 2017

Area of Science:

Synthetic Biology
Biological Engineering
Microbial Engineering

Background:

Biological engineering outcomes are often unpredictable due to complex natural systems and ad hoc design.
Standardization of biological components is crucial for improving programmability and robustness.

Purpose of the Study:

To provide an overview of advances in synthetic biology.
To highlight the utilization of synthetic biology for engineering microbes.

Main Methods:

Systematic approach to standardizing biological components.
Assembly of standardized components to achieve novel biological functions.
Focus on modularity and predictability in biological systems.

Main Results:

Current efforts focus on creating and implementing modular, standardized biological components.
These components pave the way for highly predictable artificial biological systems.
Synthetic biology frameworks are applicable to various biological engineering tasks.

Conclusions:

While complex engineered systems from standardized parts are yet to exist, progress is being made.
Synthetic biology offers a pathway to more predictable and robust biological engineering.
The field shows significant promise for the future engineering of microbes.