Programming cells with synthetic biology

Abstract

Biological systems are the most advanced molecular machines known to humans. Cells can execute intricate actions via proteins encoded in their genomes. Their immense capabilities are rooted in the billions of years of evolution wherein organisms and biological molecules have been diversified by natural selection to adapt to continuously changing ecological conditions in order to ensure survival. Evolution has yielded many useful functions of biological systems that can be exploited for human use. However, wildtype cells and biological molecules are suboptimal for specific applications because their capabilities are shaped and dictated for survival, not for the requirements of any human application. Synthetic biology approaches offer to augment the inherent competence of cells through genetic reprogramming, wherein cells are considered a collection of biomolecular modules composed of biological parts. Based on this approach, novel molecular abilities can be constructed by reusing biological parts to build synthetic genetic modules implemented in cellular hosts. In this chapter, reprogramming cells by building synthetic genetic modules will be summarized. In the first section, molecular methodologies, including de novo DNA synthesis, cloning, and genome engineering, will be briefly mentioned. Then, genetic modules for signal sensing and signal processing will be explained. © 2025 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.