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...

Biological macromolecules are organic compounds, predominantly composed of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are covalently bonded with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and other minor elements. There are four major biological macromolecule classes: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Most macromolecules are composed of single subunits, or building blocks, called monomers. The monomers combine with each other using covalent bonds to form larger molecules known as polymers.
Conversion of...

The pentose sugar in DNA is deoxyribose, while in RNA the pentose sugar is ribose. The difference between the sugars is the presence of the hydroxyl group on the ribose's second carbon and a hydrogen on the deoxyribose's second carbon. The phosphate residue attaches to the hydroxyl group of the 5′ carbon of one sugar and the hydroxyl group of the 3′ carbon of the sugar of the next nucleotide, which forms  a 5′ to 3′ phosphodiester linkage.
DNA Structure
DNA has a double-helix structure. The...

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,...

Amino acid biosynthesis is essential for cell growth, protein synthesis, and metabolic regulation. Cells generate essential and non-essential amino acids from metabolic intermediates to sustain vital biological functions. These intermediates originate from key metabolic pathways: glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and the pentose phosphate pathway. Important precursors include α-ketoglutarate, pyruvate, oxaloacetate, phosphoenolpyruvate, and erythrose-4-phosphate, which provide...

Nucleic acid biosynthesis is a fundamental biochemical process that produces the purine and pyrimidine nucleotides essential for DNA and RNA synthesis. This pathway maintains a balanced nucleotide pool, preventing imbalances that could jeopardize genetic integrity and cellular function. Given the crucial role of nucleotides, their synthesis is tightly regulated to ensure proper cellular homeostasis.Purine BiosynthesisThe biosynthesis of purine nucleotides begins with ribose-5-phosphate, a...