Knowledge‐making distinctions in synthetic biology

O’Malley, Maureen A.; Powell, Alexander M.; Davies, Jonathan; Calvert, Jane

doi:10.1002/bies.20664

Cited by 161 publications

(101 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…It is similar to protocell creation (O'Malley et al 2008) in seeking to understand the process of evolution, biological organization, and the nature of modularity and evolvability.…”

Section: Is Semisynthetic Evolvability Still Evolvability?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reengineering Metaphysics: Modularity, Parthood, and Evolvability in Metabolic Engineering

Kendig¹,

Eckdahl²

2017

Philosophy, Theory, and Practice in Biology

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The premise of biological modularity is an ontological claim that appears to come out of practice. We understand that the biological world is modular because we can manipulate different parts of organisms in ways that would only work if there were discrete parts that were interchangeable. This is the foundation of the BioBrick assembly method widely used in synthetic biology. It is one of a number of methods that allows practitioners to construct and reconstruct biological pathways and devices using DNA libraries of standardized parts with known functions. In this paper, we investigate how the practice of synthetic biology reconfigures biological understanding of the key concepts of modularity and evolvability. We illustrate how this practice approach takes engineering knowledge and uses it to try to understand biological organization by showing how the construction of functional parts and processes can be used in synthetic experimental evolution. We introduce a new approach within synthetic biology that uses the premise of a parts-based ontology together with that of organismal self-organization to optimize orthogonal metabolic pathways in E. coli. We then use this and other examples to help characterize semisynthetic categories of modularity, parthood, and evolvability within the discipline. Keywords modularity • BioBrick assembly • evolvability • parts-based ontology • self-organization Part of a special issue, Ontologies of Living Beings, guest-edited by A. M. Ferner and Thomas PradeuEditorial introduction: Catherine Kendig and Todd Eckdahl defend and illustrate a practice-based view of metaphysics of science. The target of their paper is the emerging and fascinating field of synthetic biology-a bioengineering domain that focuses on designing and assembling biological entities. The challenge they discuss is the following: What happens, ontologically-speaking, when as well as describing biological entities we start manufacturing new ones?

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“…It is similar to protocell creation (O'Malley et al 2008) in seeking to understand the process of evolution, biological organization, and the nature of modularity and evolvability.…”

Section: Is Semisynthetic Evolvability Still Evolvability?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reengineering Metaphysics: Modularity, Parthood, and Evolvability in Metabolic Engineering

Kendig¹,

Eckdahl²

2017

Philosophy, Theory, and Practice in Biology

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“…In a previous literature-based study, one of us identified three types of synthetic biology: DNA-based device construction, genome-driven cell engineering, and protocell creation (see O'Malley et al, 2008). Those involved in the first type of work seek to develop component parts in order to assemble ever-larger devices and systems.…”

Section: Epistemics Constructors and Engineersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intentions, Expectations and Institutions: Engineering the Future of Synthetic Biology in the USA and the UK

Schyfter

Calvert

2015

Science as Culture

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Synthetic biology is a field in-the-making: a loosely-defined amalgamation of diverse disciplines, institutions, and practices. Where some practitioners identify as scientists, others consider themselves engineers; while some extol the simplicity of standardised biology, others dismiss it as counterproductive. Three different communities in synthetic biology (epistemics, sceptical constructors and committed engineers) can be distinguished by way of their intentions, practices and promises.Synthetic biologists' promises shape policy-makers' expectations, which in turn shape institutional arrangements. These institutional arrangements then influence practitioners' promises in an iterative fashion. In both the US and the UK, 'committed engineers' have succeeded in gaining support for an engineering-based and industry-centred vision of synthetic biology, which promises applications and economic growth. This group's intentions and promises have influenced policy-makers' expectations, which, in turn, have driven the major institutional developments in synthetic biology in the two countries.However, while the promises of the economic potential of this vision of the field have been embraced at policy levels, other aspects of this vision, such as the importance of enabling infrastructure, are often overlooked. In a sense, committed engineers' promises and rhetoric have been too successful, because they have overshadowed the institutional and infrastructural developments needed to make them a reality.

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“…Modern synthetic biology consists of three broad approaches of DNA-based device construction, genome-driven cell engineering and protocell creation (O'Malley et al 2007). It "aims to design and engineer biologically based parts, novel devices and systems as well as redesigning existing, natural biological systems" (Royal Academy of Engineering 2009, p. 6).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synthetic biology: building the language for a new science brick by metaphorical brick

Hellsten¹,

Nerlich

2011

New Genetics and Society

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Knowledge‐making distinctions in synthetic biology

Cited by 161 publications

References 70 publications

Reengineering Metaphysics: Modularity, Parthood, and Evolvability in Metabolic Engineering

Reengineering Metaphysics: Modularity, Parthood, and Evolvability in Metabolic Engineering

Intentions, Expectations and Institutions: Engineering the Future of Synthetic Biology in the USA and the UK

Synthetic biology: building the language for a new science brick by metaphorical brick

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