September 30, 2008, 6:44 AM
Synthetic biology holds the promise to create life as it could be--grains that cure disease, gourds that grow into shelter, fuel made for pennies from yeast. But right now it's a field that is as unregulated as it is young. Endy, an assistant professor at Stanford, is laying the essential foundation through an open-source collection of BioBrick parts--strands of DNA in standardized shapes that can snap together like Legos--and his upcoming "Parts Fab," a nonprofit institute that will be one half BioBrick factory, one half open-source library.
Of course, as it becomes easier to engineer a cure for malaria, it will also become easier for someone to create the Ebola virus in his basement. So Endy also advocates for the creation of security measures. When people order DNA, he believes they should have to submit a proposal describing their intent. He also suggests that all artificially designed DNA be "signed" by its designer.
Below, a few promising applications for a synthetic world to come.
MINE-DETECTING SHRUBS > Scientists are using biotechnology to create plants that will detect the TNT in land mines. Sprinkle the seeds over a minefield and the resulting plants will grow red.
CARBON-SEQUESTERING TREES > Trees naturally sequester carbon dioxide in their trunks and leaves. But by instructing their cells to convert the CO2 into solid carbon-based compounds that would grow like an orange and fall off, we could greatly increase their efficiency.
GOURD HOUSES > By writing DNA that controls cells' spatial patterns, scientists might be able to engineer gourds that would grow into custom furniture or even houses.
LUMINESCENT GRASS > By inserting the enzyme that causes fireflies to light up into grass-seed cells, biologists could create custom glow-in-the-dark lawns.
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