Discipline-building in synthetic biology

Despite the multidisciplinary dimension of the kinds of research conducted under the umbrella of synthetic biology, the US-based founders of this new research area adopted a disciplinary profile to shape its institutional identity. In so doing they took inspiration from two already established fields with very different disciplinary patterns. The analogy with synthetic chemistry suggested by the term ‘synthetic biology’ is not the only model. Information technology is clearly another source of inspiration. The purpose of the paper, with its focus on the US context, is to emphasize the diversity of views and agendas coexisting under the disciplinary label synthetic biology, as the two models analysed are only presented as two extreme postures in the community. The paper discusses the question: in which directions the two models shape this emerging field? Do they chart two divergent futures for synthetic biology?     

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。