2018 iGEM专栏序言

国际基因工程机器大赛(iGEM),作为一项以合成生物学为主题,集合了多种交叉学科的学生科研赛事,已成为了当今生物科研领域属于年轻人的最具活力和影响力的舞台。近年来,许多来自国内的大学和高中队伍不仅在比赛中取得了优异成绩,还做出了具有创新性的科研成果。为此,我们特组织出版了此iGEM专栏,集中报道近年来国内多支iGEM参赛队的研究工作,同时关注、探讨iGEM大赛在中国的发展情况和对大学生科研能力培养的启示。     

国际基因工程机器大赛高中赛道发展概况

国际基因工程机器大赛(international genetically engineered machine competition,简称iGEM竞赛)是合成生物学国际顶级大学生学术竞赛。iGEM竞赛赛况及项目成果受到Science、Nature、Scientific American、The Economist、英国广播公司(BBC)等顶级学术期刊或国际媒体的关注,具有广泛的国际影响力。吸引了来自世界40多个国家和地区的队伍参赛。2011年起开始有高中队参赛,参赛队伍数量逐年增加,高中生日益成为推动iGEM竞赛及合成生物学发展的重要力量之一,iGEM竞赛也成为培养中学生核心素养的重要平台。基于2017–2021年全球高中队参赛情况,本文总结了高中队赛道规则、选题倾向及获奖情况,进一步分析iGEM竞赛对高中生核心素养培养的意义,探究全球高中参赛队伍的发展趋势,为未来高中参赛队伍建设提供理论参考。     

合成生物学与国际遗传工程机器大赛对培养大学生双创思维与能力的影响

合成生物学是21世纪前沿交叉学科,是现代生物学最具发展空间的领域之一。随着合成生物学的迅速发展,国际基因工程机器大赛(International Genetically Engineered Machine, iGEM)应运而生。iGEM竞赛项目基于合成生物学学科基础,应用现代生物学技术手段,立足解决社区和身边的实际生物相关问题。近年来,随着参赛团队的不断增加,iGEM竞赛得到了广泛的关注与发展。本文基于合成生物学发展概况,通过对iGEM竞赛2018–2020年获奖项目情况进行分析,并结合西南交通大学iGEM团队的参赛经历,剖析iGEM竞赛在培养大学生双创思维和能力中的重要意义和实现途径。     

国际基因工程机器大赛对本科生科研教育的启示

近年来,国际基因工程机器大赛(International genetically engineered machine,iGEM,简称iGEM大赛)在全球迅猛发展。仅2017年iGEM大赛全球注册队伍就达到了史无前例的313支,中国地区有98支iGEM团队报名参赛并取得了优异成绩。与国内已有的诸多大学生创新项目、科研培养项目不同,iGEM的组织模式是以学生为主体的研究型学习。该模式取得了丰富的教育效果,体现了新的教育理念,对于我国高校组织本科生课外科研训练有较大的借鉴意义。文中以北京大学参加iGEM大赛为线索,介绍国际基因工程机器大赛(iGEM)的背景和基本情况并以一个参赛周期为序再现北京大学iGEM团队组织和参赛的主要过程。通过与其他本科生科研训练的组织模式进行比较,探讨iGEM对本科生科研训练意义,并总结iGEM的组织经验和对本科生科研能力培养以及组织本科生科研学术竞赛的启示,希望能为国内高校的iGEM活动组织以及本科教育改革提供借鉴。     

关于国际遗传工程机器大赛金奖项目的分析

国际遗传工程机器大赛(iGEM)是合成生物学领域顶尖水平的国际性学术竞赛。近年来,随着国内各高校参赛队伍的逐渐增多,iGEM引发了大众越来越多的关注与重视。选取2013—2017年5年间iGEM竞赛中的部分金奖项目,分别从湿实验、人力实践和维基3个角度切入,进行数据处理与统计,分析金奖项目优势,探究获得金奖的主要影响因素,以期为后续参赛队伍提供参考与指导。研究认为,参赛队伍湿实验部分应优先选择热点话题与热点技术,人力实践部分应与项目紧密融合,维基部分应兼具逻辑性与可视性,满足以上条件时,有利于项目取得良好的成绩。     

国际基因工程机器大赛中的生物资源宝库

国际基因工程机器大赛（international Genetically Engineered Machine competition, iGEM）是面向世界范围的大学生科技赛事,该比赛旨在推广合成生物学,各个参赛队伍通过使用原始元件和自己设计的新元件来构建新的生物系统,并在活细胞中表达,令其行使某种既定功能。每年的参赛队伍会设计许多新的生物元件（biological part）,其长期积累为生物系统的构建提供了便利与创新,其本质上也是生物资源不断丰富的体现。本文从生物资源的角度,重点阐述iGEM比赛生物元件库的发展、分类与特点,让更多人了解生物元件的特征,并在基因工程操作中参考使用,推动元件库的扩充与发展。     

合成生物学基因设计软件:iGEM设计综述

随着基因回路规模的扩大,和应用范围的拓展,传统的合成基因回路的设计思路面临着新的挑战。新合成基因回路构建的试验周期长,试错成本大,单纯依靠经验进行设计构建,难以迅速得到满意的结果。iGEM中软件设计比赛旨在帮助合成生物学家,更高效地完成基因回路的设计与预测。为了更好地研究iGEM软件的设计与研究方向,寻找新的设计思路和理念,综述了最近几年iGEM软件队的项目,仔细总结了每一个项目的背景、目的,设计和应用。通过对比和总结,发现这几年的iGEM软件项目从功能上可以分为以下四类:①辅助设计;②资料共享;③合作交流;④数据分析。该综述可以为今后iGEM软件设计提供思考方向,也为合成生物学的发展提供新的思路。     

国际基因工程机器竞赛热点赛道优势项目的评价分析

国际基因工程机器竞赛(iGEM)是合成生物学领域的国际顶级学术科技竞赛,因项目内容紧密结合科技前沿、广泛关注社会热点,且在学生创新创造能力培养方面具有独特优势,该项竞赛得到国内、外众多知名高校的关注和肯定.本文聚焦iGEM热点赛道,以获得最佳单项奖提名的优势项目为研究对象,从项目研究问题的实践价值、重要技术应用情况、验...     

以国际遗传工程机器大赛(iGEM)为载体培养大学生的科研创新能力

创新能力是科技发展的源动力,是一个民族进步的灵魂。21世纪的中国需要高素质的创新人才,而高等学校是培养人才,生产和传播新知识、新思想的重要基地。因此,如何加强大学生创新精神和创新能力的培养是我国高等教育的一大重要课题。国际遗传工程机器大赛(International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition,i GEM Competition)是合成生物学领域的顶级国际性学术竞赛,要求大学生能够用以合成生物学为核心的综合手段去解决科研和应用中的实际问题。i GEM竞赛过程非常注重对本科生的科研能力、团队协作、英语水平、沟通和表达技能的培养,从而吸引了全球顶尖高校和国内一流大学的积极参与。本文旨在通过对i GEM竞赛及2016年获奖情况进行分析,并结合第三军医大学i GEM代表队的参赛经历,探讨i GEM竞赛在培养大学生科研创新能力中的重要作用。     

亚洲合成生物学协会总部落地深圳——助推基础研究与生物产业发展

<正>2019年10月27日至30日,亚洲合成生物学协会(Asian Synthetic Biology Association,ASBA) 2019年会在成都举行。会议当天进行了ASBA总部落地仪式及ASBA研究中心成立仪式。ASBA总部设在深圳,总部秘书处设于中国科学院深圳先进技术研究院(以下简称"深圳先进院"),此举对深圳、中国乃至亚洲合成生物学科发展布局,科研队伍建设以及产业应用导向具有重要意义。国家科技部中国生物技术发展中心前沿生物技术处王德平处长,中国科学院院士、中国生物工程学会合成生物学专业委     

The 'National' and the 'Cosmos'. The emergence of synthetic biology in China

How can grass-roots movements evolve into a national research strategy? The bottom-up emergence of synthetic biology in China could give some pointers.Given its potential to aid developments in renewable energy, biosensors, sustainable chemical industries, microbial drug factories and biomedical devices, synthetic biology has enormous implications for economic development. Many countries are therefore implementing strategies to promote progress in this field. Most notably, the USA is considered to be the leader in exploring the industrial potential of synthetic biology (Rodemeyer, 2009). Synthetic biology in Europe has benefited from several cross-border studies, such as the ‘New and Emerging Science and Technology'' programme (NEST, 2005) and the ‘Towards a European Strategy for Synthetic Biology'' project (TESSY; Gaisser et al, 2008). Yet, little is known in the West about Asia''s role in this ‘new industrial revolution'' (Kitney, 2009). In particular, China is investing heavily in scientific research for future developments, and is therefore likely to have an important role in the development of synthetic biology.Initial findings seem to indicate that the emergence of synthetic biology in China has been a bottom-up construction of a new scientific framework…In 2010, as part of a study of the international governance of synthetic biology, the author visited four leading research teams in three Chinese cities (Beijing, Tianjin and Hefei). The main aims of the visits were to understand perspectives in China on synthetic biology, to identify core themes among its scientific community, and to address questions such as ‘how did synthetic biology emerge in China?'', ‘what are the current funding conditions?'', ‘how is synthetic biology generally perceived?'' and ‘how is it regulated?''. Initial findings seem to indicate that the emergence of synthetic biology in China has been a bottom-up construction of a new scientific framework; one that is more dynamic and comprises more options than existing national or international research and development (R&D) strategies. Such findings might contribute to Western knowledge of Chinese R&D, but could also expose European and US policy-makers to alternative forms and patterns of research governance that have emerged from a grass-roots level.…the process of developing a framework is at least as important to research governance as the big question it might eventually addressA dominant narrative among the scientists interviewed is the prospect of a ‘big-question'' strategy to promote synthetic-biology research in China. This framework is at a consultation stage and key questions are still being discussed. Yet, fieldwork indicates that the process of developing a framework is at least as important to research governance as the big question it might eventually address. According to several interviewees, this approach aims to organize dispersed national R&D resources into one grand project that is essential to the technical development of the field, preferably focusing on an industry-related theme that is economically appealling to the Chinese public.Chinese scientists have a pragmatic vision for research; thinking of science in terms of its ‘instrumentality'' has long been regarded as characteristic of modern China (Schneider, 2003). However, for a country in which the scientific community is sometimes described as an “uncoordinated ‘bunch of loose ends''” (Cyranoski, 2001) “with limited synergies between them” (OECD, 2007), the envisaged big-question approach implies profound structural and organizational changes. Structurally, the approach proposes that the foundational (industry-related) research questions branch out into various streams of supporting research and more specific short-term research topics. Within such a framework, a variety of Chinese universities and research institutions can be recruited and coordinated at different levels towards solving the big question.It is important to note that although this big-question strategy is at a consultation stage and supervised by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the idea itself has emerged in a bottom-up manner. One academic who is involved in the ongoing ministerial consultation recounted that, “It [the big-question approach] was initially conversations among we scientists over the past couple of years. We saw this as an alternative way to keep up with international development and possibly lead to some scientific breakthrough. But we are happy to see that the Ministry is excited and wants to support such an idea as well.” As many technicalities remain to be addressed, there is no clear time-frame yet for when the project will be launched. Yet, this nationwide cooperation among scientists with an emerging commitment from MOST seems to be largely welcomed by researchers. Some interviewees described the excitement it generated among the Chinese scientific community as comparable with the establishment of “a new ‘moon-landing'' project”.Of greater significance than the time-frame is the development process that led to this proposition. On the one hand, the emergence of synthetic biology in China has a cosmopolitan feel: cross-border initiatives such as international student competitions, transnational funding opportunities and social debates in Western countries—for instance, about biosafety—all have an important role. On the other hand, the development of synthetic biology in China has some national particularities. Factors including geographical proximity, language, collegial familiarity and shared interests in economic development have all attracted Chinese scientists to the national strategy, to keep up with their international peers. Thus, to some extent, the development of synthetic biology in China is an advance not only in the material synthesis of the ‘cosmos''—the physical world—but also in the social synthesis of aligning national R&D resources and actors with the global scientific community.To comprehend how Chinese scientists have used national particularities and global research trends as mutually constructive influences, and to identify the implications of this for governance, this essay examines the emergence of synthetic biology in China from three perspectives: its initial activities, the evolution of funding opportunities, and the ongoing debates about research governance.China''s involvement in synthetic biology was largely promoted by the participation of students in the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition, an international contest for undergraduates initiated by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA. Before the iGEM training workshop that was hosted by Tianjin University in the Spring of 2007, there were no research records and only two literature reviews on synthetic biology in Chinese scientific databases (Zhao & Wang, 2007). According to Chunting Zhang of Tianjin University—a leading figure in the promotion of synthetic biology in China—it was during these workshops that Chinese research institutions joined their efforts for the first time (Zhang, 2008). From the outset, the organization of the workshop had a national focus, while it engaged with international networks. Synthetic biologists, including Drew Endy from MIT and Christina Smolke from Stanford University, USA, were invited. Later that year, another training camp designed for iGEM tutors was organized in Tianjin and included delegates from Australia and Japan (Zhang, 2008).Through years of organizing iGEM-related conferences and workshops, Chinese universities have strengthened their presence at this international competition; in 2007, four teams from China participated. During the 2010 competition, 11 teams from nine universities in six provinces/municipalities took part. Meanwhile, recruiting, training and supervising iGEM teams has become an important institutional programme at an increasing number of universities.…training for iGEM has grown beyond winning the student awards and become a key component of exchanges between Chinese researchers and the international communityIt might be easy to interpret the enthusiasm for the iGEM as a passion for winning gold medals, as is conventionally the case with other international scientific competitions. This could be one motive for participating. Yet, training for iGEM has grown beyond winning the student awards and has become a key component of exchanges between Chinese researchers and the international community (Ding, 2010). Many of the Chinese scientists interviewed recounted the way in which their initial involvement in synthetic biology overlapped with their tutoring of iGEM teams. One associate professor at Tianjin University, who wrote the first undergraduate textbook on synthetic biology in China, half-jokingly said, “I mainly learnt [synthetic biology] through tutoring new iGEM teams every year.”Participation in such contests has not only helped to popularize synthetic biology in China, but has also influenced local research culture. One example of this is that the iGEM competition uses standard biological parts (BioBricks), and new BioBricks are submitted to an open registry for future sharing. A corresponding celebration of open-source can also be traced to within the Chinese synthetic-biology community. In contrast to the conventional perception that the Chinese scientific sector consists of a “very large number of ‘innovative islands''” (OECD, 2007; Zhang, 2010), communication between domestic teams is quite active. In addition to the formally organized national training camps and conferences, students themselves organize a nationwide, student-only workshop at which to informally test their ideas.More interestingly, when the author asked one team whether there are any plans to set up a ‘national bank'' for hosting designs from Chinese iGEM teams, in order to benefit domestic teams, both the tutor and team members thought this proposal a bit “strange”. The team leader responded, “But why? There is no need. With BioBricks, we can get any parts we want quite easily. Plus, it directly connects us with all the data produced by iGEM teams around the world, let alone in China. A national bank would just be a small-scale duplicate.”From the beginning, interest in the development of synthetic biology in China has been focused on collective efforts within and across national borders. In contrast to conventional critiques on the Chinese scientific community''s “inclination toward competition and secrecy, rather than openness” (Solo & Pressberg, 2007; OECD, 2007; Zhang, 2010), there seems to be a new outlook emerging from the participation of Chinese universities in the iGEM contest. Of course, that is not to say that the BioBricks model is without problems (Rai & Boyle, 2007), or to exclude inputs from other institutional channels. Yet, continuous grass-roots exchanges, such as the undergraduate-level competition, might be as instrumental as formal protocols in shaping research culture. The indifference of Chinese scientists to a ‘national bank'' seems to suggest that the distinction between the ‘national'' and ‘international'' scientific communities has become blurred, if not insignificant.However, frequent cross-institutional exchanges and the domestic organization of iGEM workshops seem to have nurtured the development of a national synthetic-biology community in China, in which grass-roots scientists are comfortable relying on institutions with a cosmopolitan character—such as the BioBricks Foundation—to facilitate local research. To some extent, one could argue that in the eyes of Chinese scientists, national and international resources are one accessible global pool. This grass-roots interest in incorporating local and global advantages is not limited to student training and education, but also exhibited in evolving funding and regulatory debates.In the development of research funding for synthetic biology, a similar bottom-up consolidation of national and global resources can also be observed. As noted earlier, synthetic-biology research in China is in its infancy. A popular view is that China has the potential to lead this field, as it has strong support from related disciplines. In terms of genome sequencing, DNA synthesis, genetic engineering, systems biology and bioinformatics, China is “almost at the same level as developed countries” (Pan, 2008), but synthetic-biology research has only been carried out “sporadically” (Pan, 2008; Huang, 2009). There are few nationally funded projects and there is no discernible industrial involvement (Yang, 2010). Most existing synthetic-biology research is led by universities or institutions that are affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS). As one CAS academic commented, “there are many Chinese scientists who are keen on conducting synthetic-biology research. But no substantial research has been launched nor has long-term investment been committed.”The initial undertaking of academic research on synthetic biology in China has therefore benefited from transnational initiatives. The first synthetic-biology project in China, launched in October 2006, was part of the ‘Programmable Bacteria Catalyzing Research'' (PROBACTYS) project, funded by the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Union (Yang, 2010). A year later, another cross-border collaborative effort led to the establishment of the first synthetic-biology centre in China: the Edinburgh University–Tianjing University Joint Research Centre for Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology (Zhang, 2008).There is also a comparable commitment to national research coordination. A year after China''s first participation in iGEM, the 2008 Xiangshan conference focused on domestic progress. From 2007 to 2009, only five projects in China received national funding, all of which came from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). This funding totalled ¥1,330,000 (approximately £133,000; www.nsfc.org), which is low in comparison to the £891,000 funding that was given in the UK for seven Networks in Synthetic Biology in 2007 alone (www.bbsrc.ac.uk).One of the primary challenges in obtaining funding identified by the interviewees is that, as an emerging science, synthetic biology is not yet appreciated by Chinese funding agencies. After the Xiangshan conference, the CAS invited scientists to a series of conferences in late 2009. According to the interviewees, one of the main outcomes was the founding of a ‘China Synthetic Biology Coordination Group''; an informal association of around 30 conference delegates from various research institutions. This group formulated a ‘regulatory suggestion'' that they submitted to MOST, which stated the necessity and implications of supporting synthetic-biology research. In addition, leading scientists such as Chunting Zhang and Huanming Yang—President of the Beijing Genomic Institute (BGI), who co-chaired the Beijing Institutes of Life Science (BILS) conferences—have been active in communicating with government institutions. The initial results of this can be seen in the MOST 2010 Application Guidelines for the National Basic Research Program, in which synthetic biology was included for the first time, among ‘key supporting areas'' (MOST, 2010). Meanwhile, in 2010, NSFC allocated ¥1,500,000 (approximately £150,000) to synthetic-biology research, which is more than the total funding the area had received in the past three years.The search for funding further demonstrates the dynamics between national and transnational resources. Chinese R&D initiatives have to deal with the fact that scientific venture-capital and non-governmental research charities are underdeveloped in China. In contrast to the EU or the USA, government institutions in China, such as the NSFC and MOST, are the main and sometimes only domestic sources of funding. Yet, transnational funding opportunities facilitate the development of synthetic biology by alleviating local structural and financial constraints, and further integrate the Chinese scientific community into international research.This is not a linear ‘going-global'' process; it is important for Chinese scientists to secure and promote national and regional support. In addition, this alignment of national funding schemes with global research progress is similar to the iGEM experience, as it is being initiated through informal bottom-up associations between scientists, rather than by top-down institutional channels.As more institutions have joined iGEM training camps and participated in related conferences, a shared interest among the Chinese scientific community in developing synthetic biology has become visible. In late 2009, at the conference that founded the informal ‘coordination group'', the proposition of integrating national expertise through a big-question approach emerged. According to one professor in Beijing—who was a key participant in the discussion at the time—this proposition of a nationwide synergy was not so much about ‘national pride'' or an aim to develop a ‘Chinese'' synthetic biology, it was about research practicality. She explained, “synthetic biology is at the convergence of many disciplines, computer modelling, nano-technology, bioengineering, genomic research etc. Individual researchers like me can only operate on part of the production chain. But I myself would like to see where my findings would fit in a bigger picture as well. It just makes sense for a country the size of China to set up some collective and coordinated framework so as to seek scientific breakthrough.”From the first participation in the iGEM contest to the later exploration of funding opportunities and collective research plans, scientists have been keen to invite and incorporate domestic and international resources, to keep up with global research. Yet, there are still regulatory challenges to be met.…with little social discontent and no imminent public threat, synthetic biology in China could be carried out in a ‘research-as-usual'' mannerThe reputation of “the ‘wild East'' of biology” (Dennis, 2002) is associated with China'' previous inattention to ethical concerns about the life sciences, especially in embryonic-stem-cell research. Similarly, synthetic biology creates few social concerns in China. Public debate is minimal and most media coverage has been positive. Synthetic biology is depicted as “a core in the fourth wave of scientific development” (Pan, 2008) or “another scientific revolution” (Huang, 2009). Whilst recognizing its possible risks, mainstream media believe that “more people would be attracted to doing good while making a profit than doing evil” (Fang & He, 2010). In addition, biosecurity and biosafety training in China are at an early stage, with few mandatory courses for students (Barr & Zhang, 2010). The four leading synthetic-biology teams I visited regarded the general biosafety regulations that apply to microbiology laboratories as sufficient for synthetic biology. In short, with little social discontent and no imminent public threat, synthetic biology in China could be carried out in a ‘research-as-usual'' manner.Yet, fieldwork suggests that, in contrast to this previous insensitivity to global ethical concerns, the synthetic-biology community in China has taken a more proactive approach to engaging with international debates. It is important to note that there are still no synthetic-biology-specific administrative guidelines or professional codes of conduct in China. However, Chinese stakeholders participate in building a ‘mutual inclusiveness'' between global and domestic discussions.One of the most recent examples of this is a national conference about the ethical and biosafety implications of synthetic biology, which was jointly hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology, the Chinese Society of Biotechnology and the Beijing Institutes of Life Science CAS, in Suzhou in June 2010. The discussion was open to the mainstream media. The debate was not simply a recapitulation of Western worries, such as playing god, potential dual-use or ecological containment. It also focused on the particular concerns of developing countries about how to avoid further widening the developmental gap with advanced countries (Liu, 2010).In addition to general discussions, there are also sustained transnational communications. For example, one of the first three projects funded by the NSFC was a three-year collaboration on biosafety and risk-assessment frameworks between the Institute of Botany at CAS and the Austrian Organization for International Dialogue and Conflict Management (IDC).Chinese scientists are also keen to increase their involvement in the formulation of international regulations. The CAS and the Chinese Academy of Engineering are engaged with their peer institutions in the UK and the USA to “design more robust frameworks for oversight, intellectual property and international cooperation” (Royal Society, 2009). It is too early to tell what influence China will achieve in this field. Yet, the changing image of the country from an unconcerned wild East to a partner in lively discussions signals a new dynamic in the global development of synthetic biology.Student contests, funding programmes, joint research centres and coordination groups are only a few of the means by which scientists can drive synthetic biology forward in ChinaFrom self-organized participation in iGEM to bottom-up funding and governance initiatives, two features are repeatedly exhibited in the emergence of synthetic biology in China: global resources and international perspectives complement national interests; and the national and cosmopolitan research strengths are mostly instigated at the grass-roots level. During the process of introducing, developing and reflecting on synthetic biology, many formal or informal, provisional or long-term alliances have been established from the bottom up. Student contests, funding programmes, joint research centres and coordination groups are only a few of the means by which scientists can drive synthetic biology forward in China.However, the inputs of different social actors has not led to disintegration of the field into an array of individualized pursuits, but has transformed it into collective synergies, or the big-question approach. Underlying the diverse efforts of Chinese scientists is a sense of ‘inclusiveness'', or the idea of bringing together previously detached research expertise. Thus, the big-question strategy cannot be interpreted as just another nationally organized agenda in response to global scientific advancements. Instead, it represents a more intricate development path corresponding to how contemporary research evolves on the ground.In comparison to the increasingly visible grass-roots efforts, the role of the Chinese government seems relatively small at this stageIn comparison to the increasingly visible grass-roots efforts, the role of the Chinese government seems relatively small at this stage. Government input—such as the potential stewardship of the MOST in directing a big-question approach or long-term funding—remain important; the scientists who were interviewed expend a great deal of effort to attract governmental participation. Yet, China'' experience highlights that the key to comprehending regional scientific capacity lies not so much in what the government can do, but rather in what is taking place in laboratories. It is important to remember that Chinese iGEM victories, collaborative synthetic-biology projects and ethical discussions all took place before the government became involved. Thus, to appreciate fully the dynamics of an emerging science, it might be necessary to focus on what is formulated from the bottom up.The experience of China in synthetic biology demonstrates the power of grass-roots, cross-border engagement to promote contemporary researchThe experience of China in synthetic biology demonstrates the power of grass-roots, cross-border engagement to promote contemporary research. More specifically, it is a result of the commitment of Chinese scientists to incorporating national and international resources, actors and social concerns. For practical reasons, the national organization of research, such as through the big-question approach, might still have an important role. However, synthetic biology might be not only a mosaic of national agendas, but also shaped by transnational activities and scientific resources. What Chinese scientists will collectively achieve remains to be seen. Yet, the emergence of synthetic biology in China might be indicative of a new paradigm for how research practices can be introduced, normalized and regulated.     

Investment in plant research and development bears fruit in China

Recent rapid progress in plant science and biotechnology in China demonstrates that China’s stronger support for funding in plant research and development (R&D) has borne fruit. Chinese groups have contributed major advances in a range of fields, such as rice biology, plant hormone and developmental biology, genomics and evolution, plant genetics and epigenetics, as well as plant biotechnology. Strigolactone studies including those identifying its receptor and dissecting its complex structure and signaling are representative of the recent researches from China at the forefront of the field. These advances are attributable in large part to interdisciplinary studies among scientists from plant science, chemistry, bioinformatics, structural biology, and agronomy. The platforms provided by national facilities facilitate this collaboration. As well, efficient restructuring of the top–down organization of state programs and free exploration of scientists’ interests have accelerated achievements by Chinese researchers. Here, we provide a general outline of China’s progress in plant R&D to highlight fields in which Chinese research has made significant contributions.     

A BioBrick compatible strategy for genetic modification of plants

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Plant biotechnology can be leveraged to produce food, fuel, medicine, and materials. Standardized methods advocated by the synthetic biology community can accelerate the plant design cycle, ultimately making plant engineering more widely accessible to bioengineers who can contribute diverse creative input to the design process. RESULTS: This paper presents work done largely by undergraduate students participating in the 2010 International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) competition. Described here is a framework for engineering the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana with standardized, BioBrick compatible vectors and parts available through the Registry of Standard Biological Parts (www.partsregistry.org). This system was used to engineer a proof-of-concept plant that exogenously expresses the taste-inverting protein miraculin. CONCLUSIONS: Our work is intended to encourage future iGEM teams and other synthetic biologists to use plants as a genetic chassis. Our workflow simplifies the use of standardized parts in plant systems, allowing the construction and expression of heterologous genes in plants within the timeframe allotted for typical iGEM projects.     

《生物多样性公约》框架下合成生物学 谈判新进展及我国对策

合成生物学技术和产品因其广阔的应用前景和难以预知的生态风险, 受到各国的广泛关注。2014年10月在韩国平昌召开的《生物多样性公约》第十二次缔约方大会上, 合成生物学首次被作为正式议题进行讨论。本文梳理了《生物多样性公约》框架下合成生物学从提出到成为“新的与正在出现的议题”的过程, 分析了《生物多样性公约》在该议题上对缔约国的最新要求, 以及我国合成生物学技术发展和风险评估现状。当前我国合成生物学研究处于起步阶段,近年来的科研投入不断增大,但距离成熟的商业化仍有相当距离。我国对相关技术风险评估能力欠缺,且尚未明确负责其生物安全管理的主管部门。本文提出了以严控风险、适度鼓励研究开发和要求发达国家提供更多技术支持的谈判对策, 以及明确合成生物学安全风险管理的政府主管部门、通过技术开发以推动风险评估、构建国家合成生物学数据库和建立专业风险评估团队等履约建议。     

Special focus: Synthetic biology

Special focus: Synthetic biology What is synthetic biology? SynBERC – The Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center Ars Synthetica iGEM – The International Genetically Engineered Machine competition Some synthetic biology companies Paper watch: Synthetic biology Building blocks for novel functions Knowledge-making distinctions in synthetic biology Scaffold design and manufacturing: From concept to clinic Peptidomimetics – a versatile route to biologically active compounds Metabolic engineering of E. coli E. coli needs safety valves Systems-level metabolic engineering Mammalian synthetic biology Chemical aspects of synthetic biology Synthesis of DNA fragments in yeast Synthetic biology and patentable subject matter Patenting artificial life? Metabolic effects of synthetic rewiring Engineering for biofuels Regulatory elements for synthetic biology Book highlight Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology     

2015年中国动物遗传学研究领域若干重要进展

2015年中国科学家在动物遗传学领域的研究成果斐然。据不完全统计,2015年围绕线虫(Caenorhabditis elegans)、果蝇(Drosophila melanogaster)、斑马鱼(Danio rerio)、爪蛙(Xenopus)和小鼠(Mus musculus)等5个模式动物发表的论文中涉及中国的论文数约占总论文数的1/5,众多具有原创性的研究成果在国际高影响力的期刊上发表。例如：首次鉴定出潜在的磁受体MagR,为磁感应遗传与分子机制的研究带来了重大突破;揭示了褐飞虱(Nilaparvata lugens)翅多型性的遗传基础;首次证明在果蝇基因组中存在腺嘌呤的N⁶-甲基化;揭示了哺乳动物树突棘修剪与成熟的新的分子机制;发现CRTC2介导的信号通路调控肝脏脂代谢;发现神经递质多巴胺能够调节炎症反应;发现Gasdermin蛋白家族具有诱导细胞焦亡的功能;发现小清蛋白阳性的兴奋性视觉通路能够触发小鼠的恐惧反应等。2015年中国科学家在TALEN和CRISPR/Cas基因组靶向编辑技术领域同样做出了重要贡献。据不完全统计,其中涉及中国的论文占比多于1/5,覆盖了从线虫到灵长类的多种动物、多种基因组修饰方法,并且在世界上首次成功编辑了人类早期胚胎。中国在基因组序列测定与分析研究领域一如既往地保持世界领先,2015年中国科学家在动物基因组方面绘制了家鹅(Anser cygnoides)、壁虎(Gekko japonicus)、草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idellus)和大黄鱼(Larimichthys crocea)的基因组序列图谱,完成了69头中国地方猪(Sus scrofa)的基因组重测序,分别分析了这些动物所独有的生理病理特征以及环境适应能力的遗传基础。本文首次尝试对以中国本土科研团队为主的动物遗传学领域若干重要科研进展进行年度回顾,并选取若干重点论文进行简要介绍,以彰显中国科学家在动物遗传学领域的科研实力和重要贡献。     

A (selective) history of Australian involvement in cytokine biology

This review focuses on contributions to cytokine biology made by Australians in Australia. It is clearly biased by my own experiences and selective recollections especially related to the colony-stimulating factors in which Australian involvement has been pre-eminent from discovery to clinical use. Nevertheless Australian scientists have also made profound contributions to other areas of cytokine and growth factor biology (including interferons, inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and epidermal, insulin-like and vascular endothelial growth factors) that are briefly described in this review as well as other chapters in this volume.