How to build synthetic DNA and send it across the internet | Dan Gibson

Building Synthetic Cells and Printing Life

Introduction to the Challenge

• The speaker introduces the topic of synthetic cells and shares a story about an email received on March 31, 2013, regarding two deaths in China from H7N9 bird flu.

• There were concerns about a potential global pandemic as the virus spread rapidly across China, with existing vaccine production methods being slow and outdated.

Limitations of Traditional Vaccine Production

• The traditional process for producing flu vaccines involves isolating the virus from infected patients and incubating it in chicken eggs, which takes several weeks.

• The speaker's team had developed a biological printer that could download flu vaccine instructions from the internet and print them instantly, significantly speeding up vaccine production.

Concept of Biological Teleportation

• The biological printer represents a step towards "biological teleportation," where DNA can be read and written to create life forms or therapeutics.

• Craig Venter and Ham Smith envisioned reconstructing biological entities by reading and writing DNA code, leading to the creation of synthetic cells.

Advancements in Genomics

• Following the Human Genome Project in 2003, there was a genomics revolution focused on reading DNA sequences; however, the speaker aimed to master writing DNA instead.

• Writing DNA evolved from short sequences to complex structures akin to novels, enabling significant advancements in biotechnology.

Economic Impact of Synthetic Biology

• Living cells are efficient at producing pharmaceuticals, accounting for 25% of the total pharmaceutical market. Writing DNA is expected to further drive this bioeconomy.

• The goal was set to create a synthetic bacterial cell starting from computer-stored DNA code.

Development of Synthetic Bacterial Cells

• Over 15 years, technology was developed for stitching together short pieces of DNA into complete genomes; one constructed genome contained over one million letters.

• Gibson Assembly became recognized as a gold standard method for building both short and long pieces of DNA after overcoming initial naming challenges.

Achieving Self-replicating Cells

• After synthesizing complete bacterial genomes, researchers needed methods to convert these into self-replicating cells by treating genomes like operating systems.

• Through trial and error, they developed genome transplantation technology that allowed scientists to boot up engineered genomes within living cells.

Creation of Synthia: A Milestone Achievement

• In 2010, all technologies converged leading to the announcement of Synthia—the first synthetic cell created entirely from designed genetic material.

Understanding the Implications of Genetic Manipulation

Concerns and Responsibilities in Genetic Technology

• The speaker acknowledges public concerns regarding the safety of genetic manipulation, emphasizing its potential for both societal benefits and harm.

• To address these concerns, the team engaged with the public and government to develop responsible regulations for new technology.

• A key outcome was implementing a screening process for DNA synthesis orders to prevent misuse by malicious actors or accidental errors by scientists.

Innovations in Synthetic Cell Technologies

• The speaker highlights synthetic cell technologies as pivotal for the next industrial revolution, promising solutions to global sustainability challenges through innovative applications like biofuels and biodegradable plastics.

• The development of the BioXp DNA printer marked a significant advancement, enabling rapid DNA writing essential for various research applications.

Rapid Response to Health Crises

• Following an H7N9 bird flu scare, the team quickly printed synthetic DNA from an online sequence, allowing collaborators to develop a vaccine ahead of traditional methods.

• This proactive approach led to stockpiling vaccines before the virus arrived in the U.S., showcasing the power of biological teleportation.

Advancements with Digital-to-Biological Converter (DBC)

• The DBC is introduced as a revolutionary tool that converts digitized DNA code into biological entities without needing pre-manufactured components.

• By integrating multiple laboratory workflows into one device, it significantly reduces timeframes for producing therapeutic drugs and vaccines from weeks or months down to just days.

Future Applications and Impact on Medicine

• The DBC operates autonomously upon receiving digital instructions via email, likened to fax machines but designed for biological materials instead of documents.

• Ongoing improvements aim at making DBC smaller, more reliable, faster, and accurate—critical factors when synthesizing DNA due to potential impacts on medicine efficacy.

Applications of Digital Biocontainers

Innovative Uses in Space Exploration

• The potential applications of Digital Biocontainers (DBCs) are limited only by human imagination, suggesting a wide range of possibilities for their use in various environments, including extraterrestrial locations.

• DBCs could be utilized on other planets, allowing scientists on Earth to send digital instructions that enable the creation of new medicines or synthetic organisms.

• These synthetic organisms could serve essential functions such as producing oxygen, food, fuel, or building materials to enhance habitability for humans on other planets.

• The speed of digital information transmission is highlighted; it can travel at the speed of light, enabling rapid communication between Earth and Mars.