Mains Practice Questions

Introduction

Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary field that combines biology, engineering, genetics, chemistry, and computer science. It involves redesigning organisms for useful purposes by engineering them to have new abilities.

• The core idea is to treat genetic sequences as interchangeable biological parts that can be artificially designed and assembled to construct new biological systems or modify existing ones.

Body

Potential Revolutionary Applications:

• Medicine:
  • Engineered Cell Therapies: Custom-designed cells to target specific diseases.
    • Example: CAR-T cell therapy for cancer treatment, where T cells are engineered to recognize and attack cancer cells.
  • Synthetic Antibiotics: Designing new antibiotics to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
    • Example: MIT researchers used a machine-learning algorithm to identify a drug called halicin that kills many strains of bacteria.
  • Personalized Medicine: Tailoring treatments based on an individual's genetic makeup.
    • Example: Synthesizing specific proteins or enzymes for patients with genetic disorders.
• Agriculture:
  • Crop Enhancement: Engineering crops for increased yield, nutrient content, or resistance to pests and environmental stresses.
    • Example: Golden Rice, genetically modified to produce beta-carotene, addressing Vitamin A deficiency in developing countries.
  • Sustainable Biofuels: Designing microorganisms to efficiently produce biofuels.
    • Example: Engineered algae or bacteria that can convert sunlight and CO2 directly into biofuels.
  • Precision Fermentation: Producing animal proteins without animals.
    • Example: Perfect Day's animal-free dairy proteins produced by engineered yeast.
• Environmental Remediation:
  • Bioremediation: Engineered organisms to clean up pollutants.
    • Example: Pseudomonas aeruginosa that can convert mercury into nontoxic forms
  • Biodegradable Materials: Developing new biodegradable plastics using engineered bacteria.
    • Example: PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) plastics produced by bacteria, which are fully biodegradable.

While synthetic biology offers immense potential, it also raises significant ethical concerns:

• Biosafety: Risk of engineered organisms escaping into the environment and causing unintended ecological consequences. Example: Concerns about gene drive technology potentially altering entire wild populations.
• Biosecurity: Potential misuse of synthetic biology for bioterrorism or creation of biological weapons. Example: The possibility of recreating extinct viruses or enhancing the virulence of existing pathogens.
• Playing God: Philosophical and religious concerns about humans assuming the role of creators. Example: Debates on using CRISPR technology for human embryo editing

Conclusion

Synthetic biology presents a powerful toolset for addressing global challenges in health, agriculture, and the environment. However, its transformative potential is accompanied by complex ethical considerations that require careful deliberation and robust regulatory frameworks.