合成生物学的发展、挑战及应对

Synthetic Biology:Development,Challenges,and Response

通过操作DNA进而操控特定生物过程和生命性状一直是生物研究的热点问题。针对如何理性设计与深度改造生物系统这一难题,合成生物学这一综合了传统生物学、工程学与计算机科学的交叉学科应运而生,进而显现出举世瞩目的巨大潜力。然而,合成生物学的发展也面临着诸多挑战和风险。本文着眼于合成生物学的思想理念,对其理论与技术体系的发展现状、技术扩散所带来的安全问题以及将来合成生物学可能的发展趋势加以深入探讨。

Controlling specific biological process/phenotype via purposefully manipulating DNA has long been one of the hottest topics in biological studies. Aiming to rationally design and reliably en gineer biological system, synthetic biology, a discipline that combines the power of traditional biolo- gy, engineering and computer science, has emerged and soon prospered as an enabling technology. However, the development of synthetic biology is now confronted by several hard truths. In this manuscript, on the basis of conceptions of synthetic biology, including engineering principles, the authors discuss the theoretical and technological system of synthetic biology, the possible safety is- sues, and the possible trends in the development of this discipline in the future.