The term ‘synthetic biology’ is used to describe the combination of engineering and biology. By rationally designing systems using biological building blocks, we can gain a better understanding of existing biological life, enabling new therapeutic solutions to be found.
Professor Wilfried Weber and colleagues from the University of Freiburg discuss in their Chem Soc Rev article recent synthetic biology technologies that have been developed for the treatment of disease, such as cancer and gouty arthritis, and also for creating functional materials.
Synthetic biological systems can be thought of as molecular circuits in which an external signal is received and processed, providing an output response. Many of the systems Weber describes involve ways to control the expression of certain genes. In one such example, protein molecules bind to a specific DNA sequence and interrupt the action of the RNA polymerase enzyme, stopping the gene from being expressed. By introducing a small ligand molecule that can bind to the protein, the protein changes its shape and no longer binds to the DNA, providing an on/off switch.
Upon binding of tetracycline, the regulator protein is released from the DNA sequence allowing transcription of the gene.
Weber also summarises how DNA, RNA and protein building blocks can be used to produce stimulus-responsive hydrogels which can also be applied for therapeutic use.
To find out more, download the Chem Soc Rev review article.
