Review abstract


Nature Chemical Biology 2, 304 - 311 (2006)
Published online: 18 May 2006 | doi:10.1038/nchembio789

Modular approaches to expanding the functions of living matter

Jason W Chin1


The synthesis of increasingly complex unnatural networks embedded in living matter is an emerging theme in synthetic biology. Synthetic networks have allowed the creation of organisms endowed with toggle switches, logic gates, pattern-forming systems, oscillators, cellular sensors, new modes of gene regulation and expanded genetic codes. A common challenge of this work is the addition of specific new functions to complex living organisms. This requires spatial and temporal control of molecular interactions and fluxes to achieve the desired outcomes. Here we review recent successes in this emerging field and discuss strategies for addressing the challenges of increasing network complexity.

Top
  1. Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QH, UK.

Correspondence to: Jason W Chin1 e-mail: chin@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk



MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS

These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.

NEWS AND VIEWS

Modularizing gene regulation

Molecular Systems Biology News and Views (21 Mar 2006)

Customized signaling with reconfigurable protein scaffolds

Nature Biotechnology News and Views (01 May 2008)

See all 3 matches for News And Views

RESEARCH

A network of orthogonal ribosome???mRNA pairs

Nature Chemical Biology Article (01 Aug 2005)

See all 9 matches for Research

Extra navigation

Subscribe to Nature Chemical Biology

Subscribe

Search PubMed for

Open Innovation Challenges

naturejobs