Synthetic biology: tools to design, build, and optimize cellular processes.

Area of Science:

• Synthetic Biology
• Systems Biology
• Biotechnology Engineering

Background:

• Biology engineering is complex due to emergent properties and interactions.
• A process engineering paradigm views cellular components as interacting streams and units.
• Synthetic biology offers tools to enhance control over these biological interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To contextualize synthetic biology efforts into three tiers.
• To review progress in controlling cellular systems.
• To highlight future research needs for integrative synthetic biology.

Main Methods:

• Categorization of synthetic biology into three tiers: process units, regulatory mechanisms, and environment.
• Review of emerging tools and approaches for cellular control.
• Analysis of efforts to rewire cells for biotechnological applications.

Main Results:

• Synthetic biology advances are progressing across three tiers of cellular control.
• Integration of these tiers is key to achieving cellular optimization.
• Rewiring cells for biotechnological goals is a central aim.

Conclusions:

• Integrative synthetic biology requires control over process units, regulation, and environment.
• Further research is needed to fully realize cellular rewiring for biotechnology.
• The ultimate goal is ground-up cellular optimization through synthetic biology.