6.3.4 Synthetic Biology

Question 1

What is synthetic biology?

Answer 1

• Creates new biological systems or redesigns them
• Large altercations to an organisms genome
• Assembling a new genome by using known DNA sequences or new ones using computer programmes that produce specific proteins

Question 2

Producing artemisinin

Answer 2

• Antimalarial drug
• Artemisinin was first produced by a plant but supply is too unstable and expensive
• So scientists constructed a DNA sequence for a new metabolic pathway containing genes from bacteria, yeast and A. annua, producing artemisinic acid
• This pathway can be inserted into yeast cells producing the drug