Within a gene encoding so-called codons (combination of three of the four possible DNA letters C, T

Synthetic biology is a new technology that, according 32 weeks pregnant to some solutions to problems such as climate change, energy and water shortages. However, there are also certain potential disadvantages: we do not know what the long term effects are. Ethical questions like "we may intervene in life come into play. What do you think of the applications of synthetic biology? Have your say and discuss with it now! Content:
Yeast as guinea 32 weeks pregnant pigs in drug development
Ethical aspects of synthetic biology
One important category of medications, such as the analgesics aspirin and morphine and caffeine stimulants, nicotine, and cocaine, it is based on extracts from plants. In many cases, these extracts are used for centuries in herbal medicine.
Similarly, extracts of the summer wormwood (Artemisia 32 weeks pregnant annua), which are used in the operations against the malaria 32 weeks pregnant parasite Plasmodium falciparum. In 1972 it was discovered that the active agent is artemisinin against the malaria parasite. Artemisinin was extracted through traditional extraction from the plant, but the yield varies 32 weeks pregnant thus from year to year. This does not only result in price fluctuations but also makes it difficult to gain widespread artemisinin.
Artemisinin can also be made through a chemical process. 32 weeks pregnant That process is very expensive and results in all kinds of chemical waste. Because malaria is particularly widespread 32 weeks pregnant in poor regions, it is important that malaria treatments in large quantities and are available for a low price. Malaria Medication yeast
Since 2005, scientists at the California biotech company Amyris work on the microbial production of artemisinin. They do so on the basis of previous research by the Berkeley University and they are in their work financially supported by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates fund.
Artemisinic is related to artemisinin and can be done via a chemical reaction, with the aid of light, are transformed into the active substance that is effective against 32 weeks pregnant the malaria parasite. Microbial 32 weeks pregnant production of artemisinic large reactor vessels, instead of the vegetable production of artemisinin from Artemisia annua on a field, allows for continuous production of large quantities of malaria medicines. Because 32 weeks pregnant there are no micro-organisms are known to produce artemisinic acid, is first a microorganism "converted" using synthetic biology. To this end, the genes in the Artemisia annua plant are responsible for the formation of artemisinic acid, introduced into Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This baker's yeast has been known since the beginning of the genetic modification as an organism that is easy to modify.
Within a gene encoding so-called codons (combination of three of the four possible DNA letters C, T, A, or G,) for the various amino acids which eventually form a protein. There are more different 32 weeks pregnant codons (4 3 = 64) possible, then the total number of amino acids (20). In practice, most of the genetic amino acids appear, therefore, 32 weeks pregnant to be able to be encoded by multiple codons. Thus different DNA sequences may also encode for the exact same protein.
Different organisms have their own preference for the use of codons, and therefore it may be difficult to introduce plant genes functional in yeast expression. Synthetic biologists therefore analyze routinely with the aid of computer modeling, the optimal DNA sequence is to bring a certain 32 weeks pregnant protein is expressed in a specific micro-organism. Subsequently, this DNA sequence (with the aid of so-called gene synthesis), chemically 32 weeks pregnant produced and expressed. The use of synthetic genes can significantly 32 weeks pregnant improve the expression of proteins. In addition, synthetic DNA, for example, provides the ability to introduce specific mutations, and various 32 weeks pregnant proteins to stick to each other.
Introduction of these optimized plant genes has resulted in the production of artemisinic by baker's yeast. With the help of synthetic biology, 32 weeks pregnant it is therefore possible to use a substance which normally is made only by plants, in a bioreactor to produce full genetically modified yeast cells with sugar mainly as a building material. 32 weeks pregnant
To further increase the production of artemisinic was still some adjustments needed. It found that the supply of a semi-finished product 'of artemisinic 32 weeks pregnant (farnesyl-pyro-phosphate, which is converted via amorfadieen in artemisinic), was limiting. Therefore, a part of the central metabolism of baker's yeast was to be re-programmed, so that a greater part of the sugars that consume the yeast cells is converted into farnesyl-pyro-phosphate in place of the natural fermentation product ethanol.
That reprogramming the central metabolism of baker's yeast proved a difficult challenge. There were more than ten fresh