合成生物学

合成(cheng)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)学(synthetic biology),最(zui)初由Hobom B.于(yu)1980年(nian)(nian)提(ti)出来(lai)表(biao)述基(ji)因重(zhong)组技(ji)术(shu),随着分子系(xi)(xi)统生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)学的(de)(de)(de)发展,2000年(nian)(nian)E. Kool在美国化学年(nian)(nian)会上(shang)重(zhong)新提(ti)出来(lai),2003年(nian)(nian)国际上(shang)定(ding)义为基(ji)于(yu)系(xi)(xi)统生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)学的(de)(de)(de)遗传(chuan)工(gong)(gong)(gong)程(cheng)和(he)工(gong)(gong)(gong)程(cheng)方(fang)法(fa)的(de)(de)(de)人工(gong)(gong)(gong)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)系(xi)(xi)统研(yan)究,从基(ji)因片段、DNA分子、基(ji)因调(diao)控网(wang)络(luo)与信号传(chuan)导路(lu)径到细胞(bao)的(de)(de)(de)人工(gong)(gong)(gong)设计与合成(cheng),类似于(yu)现代集成(cheng)型建(jian)筑工(gong)(gong)(gong)程(cheng),将工(gong)(gong)(gong)程(cheng)学原理与方(fang)法(fa)应用于(yu)遗传(chuan)工(gong)(gong)(gong)程(cheng)与细胞(bao)工(gong)(gong)(gong)程(cheng)等生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)技(ji)术(shu)领域,合成(cheng)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)学、计算(suan)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)学与化学生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)学一同构成(cheng)系(xi)(xi)统生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)技(ji)术(shu)的(de)(de)(de)方(fang)法(fa)基(ji)础。
合(he)成(cheng)生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)学(xue)是指人们将“基(ji)因(yin)”连接成(cheng)网(wang)络,让细胞(bao)来完(wan)成(cheng)设计(ji)人员(yuan)设想(xiang)的各种任务。例如把网(wang)络同简单的细胞(bao)相(xiang)结(jie)合(he),可提高生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)传感(gan)性,帮(bang)助检查(cha)人员(yuan)确定地(di)雷或生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)武器的位(wei)置。再如向网(wang)络加(jia)入人体(ti)细胞(bao),可以制成(cheng)用于器官移植的完(wan)整(zheng)器官。让·维斯是麻省理(li)工学(xue)院计(ji)算(suan)(suan)机工程师(shi),早在他读(du)研(yan)究生(sheng)(sheng)时就(jiu)迷上(shang)了生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)学(xue),并开始(shi)为(wei)细胞(bao)“编程”,现在已成(cheng)为(wei)合(he)成(cheng)生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)学(xue)的领军人物(wu)。维斯的导师(shi)、计(ji)算(suan)(suan)机工程师(shi)和生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)学(xue)家汤姆(mu)·奈特(te)表示(shi),他们希望研(yan)制出一组(zu)生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)组(zu)件,可以十(shi)分容(rong)易地(di)组(zu)装成(cheng)不同的“产品”。研(yan)制不同的基(ji)因(yin)线(xian)路———即(ji)特(te)别设计(ji)的、相(xiang)互影(ying)响的基(ji)因(yin)。波士顿大(da)学(xue)生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)医学(xue)工程师(shi)科林斯已研(yan)制出一种“套环开关(guan)”,所(suo)选择的细胞(bao)功能可随意开关(guan)。加(jia)州大(da)学(xue)生(sheng)(sheng)

合成生物学的(de)研究
物(wu)(wu)学和(he)物(wu)(wu)理学教授埃罗维(wei)茨(ci)等(deng)人研(yan)(yan)究(jiu)出(chu)(chu)另(ling)(ling)外(wai)一(yi)(yi)(yi)种线路:当(dang)某种特殊蛋白(bai)质含量发生(sheng)变化时(shi),细(xi)(xi)(xi)(xi)胞(bao)(bao)能在(zai)发光状态和(he)非(fei)发光状态之间转换,起(qi)到(dao)有机(ji)振荡器(qi)的(de)(de)作用,打开了利用生(sheng)物(wu)(wu)分(fen)(fen)子进(jin)行计(ji)算(suan)的(de)(de)大(da)门(men)。维(wei)斯(si)和(he)加(jia)州理工学院化学工程师(shi)阿诺尔一(yi)(yi)(yi)起(qi),采用“定向进(jin)化”的(de)(de)方法,精(jing)细(xi)(xi)(xi)(xi)调整(zheng)研(yan)(yan)制线路,将(jiang)基因(yin)网络插入细(xi)(xi)(xi)(xi)胞(bao)(bao)内(nei),有选择性地促(cu)进(jin)细(xi)(xi)(xi)(xi)胞(bao)(bao)生(sheng)长。维(wei)斯(si)目前正(zheng)在(zai)研(yan)(yan)究(jiu)另(ling)(ling)外(wai)一(yi)(yi)(yi)群称为“规则(ze)系统”的(de)(de)基因(yin),他希望细(xi)(xi)(xi)(xi)菌(jun)能估计(ji)刺激物(wu)(wu)的(de)(de)距离(li),并根据距离(li)的(de)(de)改变做出(chu)(chu)反应。该项研(yan)(yan)究(jiu)可用来探测地雷(lei)(lei)(lei)位置(zhi):当(dang)它们靠近(jin)地雷(lei)(lei)(lei)时(shi)细(xi)(xi)(xi)(xi)菌(jun)发绿光;远(yuan)离(li)地雷(lei)(lei)(lei)时(shi)则(ze)发红光。维(wei)斯(si)另(ling)(ling)一(yi)(yi)(yi)项大(da)胆的(de)(de)计(ji)划是为成(cheng)年干(gan)细(xi)(xi)(xi)(xi)胞(bao)(bao)编程,以促(cu)进(jin)某些(xie)干(gan)细(xi)(xi)(xi)(xi)胞(bao)(bao)分(fen)(fen)裂成(cheng)骨细(xi)(xi)(xi)(xi)胞(bao)(bao)、肌肉细(xi)(xi)(xi)(xi)胞(bao)(bao)或软(ruan)骨细(xi)(xi)(xi)(xi)胞(bao)(bao)等(deng),让细(xi)(xi)(xi)(xi)胞(bao)(bao)去修补受损的(de)(de)心脏或生(sheng)产出(chu)(chu)合成(cheng)膝关节。尽管该工作尚处初级阶段,但却是生(sheng)物(wu)(wu)学调控(kong)领域中重要的(de)(de)进(jin)展。
“合(he)成生(sheng)物(wu)(wu)学”更早可(ke)追踪到(dao)(dao)波兰科学家Waclaw Szybalski采(cai)用(yong)“合(he)成生(sheng)物(wu)(wu)学”术语,以及(ji)(ji)(ji)目睹(du)分子生(sheng)物(wu)(wu)学进展、限制性内切酶发现等可(ke)能(neng)导致(zhi)合(he)成生(sheng)物(wu)(wu)体(ti)的预测。“系统生(sheng)物(wu)(wu)学”则可(ke)追踪到(dao)(dao)贝塔朗菲的“有机(ji)生(sheng)物(wu)(wu)学”及(ji)(ji)(ji)定义“有机(ji)”为“整体(ti)或系统”概念,以及(ji)(ji)(ji)阐述采(cai)用(yong)开放系统论、数学模型与计(ji)算机(ji)方法研究生(sheng)物(wu)(wu)学。
随(sui)着计算机(ji)、生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)(wu)信息、基(ji)因(yin)合成(cheng)与基(ji)因(yin)测(ce)序(xu)等技(ji)(ji)术(shu)(shu)(shu)的(de)进展,使(shi)计算机(ji)辅助(zhu)设计、全基(ji)因(yin)乃至(zhi)基(ji)因(yin)组人工(gong)合成(cheng)成(cheng)为可能,使(shi)生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)(wu)工(gong)程产业(ye)化的(de)技(ji)(ji)术(shu)(shu)(shu)瓶颈可能突破,使(shi)生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)(wu)产业(ye)能够进入工(gong)程化与设计化的(de)产业(ye)发(fa)展,导致了有如“系(xi)(xi)统(tong)科学(xue)(xue)与自动通讯技(ji)(ji)术(shu)(shu)(shu)”之间的(de)理论研(yan)究(jiu)与技(ji)(ji)术(shu)(shu)(shu)转(zhuan)(zhuan)化互动,系(xi)(xi)统(tong)科学(xue)(xue)与生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)(wu)技(ji)(ji)术(shu)(shu)(shu)、系(xi)(xi)统(tong)生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)(wu)学(xue)(xue)与合成(cheng)生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)(wu)学(xue)(xue)之间的(de)密切(qie)互动,也(ye)将(jiang)导致系(xi)(xi)统(tong)生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)(wu)技(ji)(ji)术(shu)(shu)(shu)的(de)基(ji)础研(yan)究(jiu)向应用开发(fa)的(de)转(zhuan)(zhuan)化(转(zhuan)(zhuan)化科学(xue)(xue)、转(zhuan)(zhuan)化生(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)(wu)(wu)学(xue)(xue))距(ju)离迅速缩短。(注:本文来自百(bai)(bai)度百(bai)(bai)科)