Minimal genome – Knowledge and References

Minimal genome

A minimal genome refers to the smallest set of genes required for an organism to carry out essential functions. This concept is explored in the field of Synthetic Biology, where researchers aim to create organisms with a chemically synthesized genome consisting of approximately 100 genes. The goal is to transplant this minimal genome into living cells, replacing the host cell's genome and reprogramming its metabolism to perform new tasks. Advances in DNA-synthesis technology have made this possible by allowing the generation of DNA molecules in the range of thousands of base pairs at a competitive price.From: Synthetic Biology Handbook [2019], Biosafety and biosecurity in Synthetic Biology: A review [2019]

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Synthetic Biology: From Gene Circuits to Novel Biological Tools

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Published in Tuan Vo-Dinh, Nanotechnology in Biology and Medicine, 2017

Nina G. Argibay, Eric M. Vazquez, Cortney E. Wilson, Travis J.A. Craddock, Robert P. Smith

Moving forward, however, synthetic biology faces many challenges (Kwok 2010; Fu 2013). Chief among these is achieving a more thorough understanding of cellular complexity and how it might interfere with gene circuit functionality. Although our understanding of engineering principles is increasing, and our appreciation for how normal cellular operations can interfere with the gene circuit (i.e., noise), the field continues to strive for greater mathematically based predictive tools and rules in the design of gene circuits. Toward this end, engineering a minimal cell, containing a minimal genome, is often cited as a large goal of synthetic biology.

Biosafety and biosecurity in Synthetic Biology: A review

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Journal Information

Published in Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 2019

Lucía Gómez-Tatay, José M. Hernández-Andreu

This subfield of Synthetic Biology involves “the creation of organisms with a chemically synthesized (minimal) genome. This branch of synthetic biology has been made possible by the constant improvements in DNA-synthesis technology over the past years, which now allows the generation of DNA molecules in the range of thousands of base pairs at a competitive price. The aim is to merge these molecules into full genomes and transplant them into living cells, thereby replacing the genome of the host cell and reprograming its metabolism to undertake new tasks” (Deplazes, 2009).