Microbial synthetic biology for human therapeutics

Abstract

The emerging field of synthetic biology holds tremendous potential for developing novel drugs to treat various human conditions. The current study discusses the scope of synthetic biology for human therapeutics via microbial approach. In this context, synthetic biology aims at designing, engineering and building new microbial synthetic cells that do not pre-exist in nature as well as reengineer existing microbes for synthesis of therapeutic products. It is expected that the construction of novel microbial genetic circuitry for human therapeutics will greatly benefit from the data generated by 'omics' approaches and multidisciplinary nature of synthetic biology. Development of novel antimicrobial drugs and vaccines by engineering microbial systems are a promising area of research in the field of synthetic biology for human theragnostics. Expression of plant based medicinal compounds in the microbial system using synthetic biology tools is another avenue dealt in the present study. Additionally, the study suggest that the traditional medicinal knowledge can do value addition for developing novel drugs in the microbial systems using synthetic biology tools. The presented work envisions the success of synthetic biology for human therapeutics via microbial approach in a holistic manner. Keeping this in view, various legal and socio-ethical concerns emerging from the use of synthetic biology via microbial approach such as patenting, biosafety and biosecurity issues have been touched upon in the later sections.

Synthetic Biology for the Development of Biodrugs and Designer Crops and the Emerging Governance Issues

“…Other than the criteria, the national patent laws have also excluded some inventions from the scope of protection, for example, in case of India, inventions such as the method of treatment or therapeutics based on traditional knowledge are not patentable. Nonpatentability of traditional knowledge based therapeutics has been discussed in detail by Jain et al (2012).…”

“…Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary science where the principles of genetics, robotics, nanotechnology, systems biology, engineering and computational biology can be applied together to study, manipulate or introduce an entire genetic circuitry into a "chassis" for various applications. It aims at enablement of "creation" of synthetic organisms with user-defined functionality for the benefit of human society (Jain et al 2012;Saukshmya and Chugh 2010). The construction of a customized, robust as well as reliable genetic circuitry requires standardized parts that is, promoters, regulators, reporters, translational units, terminators, chassis, etc (Marguet et al 2007).…”

Interactive learning and action: realizing the promise of synthetic biology for global health

“…Synthetic biology can contribute to global health by, for example, the development of novel drugs, vaccines and antibiotics that could contribute to realizing Millennium Development Goal 6-combat HIV/ AIDS, malaria and other diseases (e.g. Jain et al 2012; Blakely this issue). It could also contribute to faster and cheaper production of anti-malarial drugs: development of the precursor molecule of artemisinin is likely to make the drug accessible to more people in poorer countries (Keasling 2008).…”

“…It could also contribute to faster and cheaper production of anti-malarial drugs: development of the precursor molecule of artemisinin is likely to make the drug accessible to more people in poorer countries (Keasling 2008). Analysis of the mechanism underlying protein aggregation related disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, has the potential for earlier diagnosis and treatment of such diseases (Jain et al 2012). In response to scientific advances and the promise of the field, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently published a guidance document that acknowledges the potential application of synthetic biology to health care worldwide (WHO 2010).…”

Synthetic Biology Based Biosensors and the Emerging Governance Issues

“…As widely acknowledged, synthetic biology is a multidisciplinary science that endeavours to develop user defined functionality based organisms for the benefit of mankind [3,4], synthetic biology can play a pivotal role in the development of novel diagnostic methods, prevention strategies and therapeutics. It can pave way for beneficial exploitation of biosensing and monitoring mechanisms in different domains ( Figure 1) based on natural mechanisms of regulations occurring in living systems.…”