合成生物学的研究方向与应用

Studying Direction and Application of Synthetic Biology

分析构建合成生物学元件的基本思路、研究原理和研究方法,阐述当前合成生物学的两个主要研究方向——最小生命体研究与合成元件的开发的国内外最新研究成果.前者的重点在于找到能维持生命的最少量基因,而后者的重点在于如何建立与天然细胞中相类似的功能元件,并使其能在宿主中顺利运行.两个研究方向出发点不同,但研究目标是一致的,其研究成果最终可以互相借鉴与融合.利用人工合成的最小生命体作为宿主,配合各种不同的生命功能元件合成生命元件,组装系统网络,最终创造出人造生命.同时,概要地指出了合成生物学的发展前景.

This review analyzed the basic conception, principle and method of research on constructing synthetic biology prarts, and summarized the recent developments in two directions of synthetic biology. One of the two directions is the studies of minimal life aiming to find out the least gene to maintain activities, and which maintains about genetic parts trying to simulate the natural genetic net of cell. The two directions have different research starts, but same objects. A new life will be generated by constructing novel artificial cell and genetic parts. Furthermore, the progress of synthetic biology was discussed.