Benner Steven A, Sismour A Michael
Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200, USA.
Nat Rev Genet. 2005 Jul;6(7):533-43. doi: 10.1038/nrg1637.
Synthetic biologists come in two broad classes. One uses unnatural molecules to reproduce emergent behaviours from natural biology, with the goal of creating artificial life. The other seeks interchangeable parts from natural biology to assemble into systems that function unnaturally. Either way, a synthetic goal forces scientists to cross uncharted ground to encounter and solve problems that are not easily encountered through analysis. This drives the emergence of new paradigms in ways that analysis cannot easily do. Synthetic biology has generated diagnostic tools that improve the care of patients with infectious diseases, as well as devices that oscillate, creep and play tic-tac-toe.
合成生物学家主要分为两大类。一类使用非天然分子来重现自然生物学中的涌现行为,目标是创造人造生命。另一类则从自然生物学中寻找可互换的部件,组装成具有非自然功能的系统。无论哪种方式,合成目标都迫使科学家涉足未知领域,去遭遇并解决那些通过分析不易遇到的问题。这以分析难以做到的方式推动了新范式的出现。合成生物学已经产生了改善传染病患者护理的诊断工具,以及能够振荡、蠕动和玩井字游戏的装置。