Researcher: "We should have the first synthetic species by the end of the year."

[bassrique]

Sadly, we're not talking about robotic AI. No wait, I meant I'm relieved:

Artificial life is only months away, says biologist Craig Venter
Mark Henderson, Science Editor

Artificial life will be created within four months, a controversial scientist has predicted. Craig Venter, who led a private project to sequence the human genome, told The Times that his team had cleared a critical hurdle to creating man-made organisms in a laboratory.

“Assuming we don’t make any errors, I think it should work and we should have the first synthetic species by the end of the year,” he said.

Dr Venter, who has been chasing his goal for a decade, is already working on projects to use synthetic biology to create bacteria that transform coal into cleaner natural gas, and algae that soak up carbon dioxide and turn it into hydrocarbon fuels. Other potential applications include new ways of manufacturing medicines and vaccines.

Dr Venter’s prediction came after scientists at his J. Craig Venter Institute, in Rockville, Maryland, announced that they had developed a new method of transplanting DNA into bacteria, promising to solve a problem that has held up the artificial life project for two years.

The team took the first step in 2007 by implanting the genome of a bacterium, Mycoplasma mycoides, into cells belonging to a close relative, Mycoplasma capricolum. This transformed the host bacteria into Mycoplasma mycoides.

Last January the team built a bacterium’s entire genetic code from scratch. The next step was to transfer this synthetic genome into a host cell, using the 2007 transplant technique, to “reboot” it with genetic instructions written by humans. This has failed so far because the synthetic genome will not work when it is transplanted into host cells.

The new research, published in Science, has identified the probable reason for this failure and developed a new approach that should address it.

Natural bacterial genomes, such as the one that was successfully transplanted, are chemically modified by a process called methylation. When they are inserted into other cells this process appears to protect them against chemicals called restriction enzymes, which defend against viruses.

The synthetic genome, however, is not methylated, as it has to be grown in yeast, which does not provide the necessary chemical modifications, thus leaving it open to attack by the restriction enzymes.

In the new study, the Venter team grew the natural M. mycoides genome in yeast, under similar conditions to the synthetic genome, so that it had no methylation. These genomes failed to take when they were transplanted into host cells.

The team then remethylated the M. mycoides genome in the laboratory before placing it into the host cell. This time the transplants worked and the cells were rebooted as M. mycoides.

The success suggests that methylating the synthetic genome before transfer should allow it to take over host cells and reboot them with its DNA. Experiments in this have now begun.

Methylation should protect the synthetic genome against the host cells’ defences, much as drugs that suppress the immune system protect transplanted organs against rejection.

Hamilton Smith, a Nobel laureate who is another leader of the research, said: “I believe this work has important implications in better understanding the fundamentals of biology to enable the final stages of our work in creating and booting up a synthetic genome. This is possibly one of the most important new findings in the field of synthetic genomics.”

Dr Venter said the research was particularly important because it opened the door to altering algae and bacteria to perform useful functions.

“This could be one of the most powerful tools in biology,” he said.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...SS&attr=797084

[Sterling_Bass]

That's amazing. If this is successful, though I doubt it will be in only four more months, it has enormous implications in a variety of subfields. I hope to hear more developments about this.

[Sartori]

This could be a huge and beneficial scientific breakthrough. Too bad it will probably be used to create terrible new weapons.

[Selta]

Woah! Neat!

[john turner]

we are genetically manufacturing our future masters.

YAY!

[bassrique]

Originally Posted by john turner

we are genetically manufacturing our future masters.

YAY!

Our benevolent future masters. Come on dude, get with the program.

[Tama]

Amazing!!!

[MadMan118]

Until it presses my shirts and cooks my eggs I'm not impressed. But seriously am I the only one that thinks this has more offensive applications that beneficial ones?

[Sartori]

Originally Posted by MadMan118

Until it presses my shirts and cooks my eggs I'm not impressed. But seriously am I the only one that thinks this has more offensive applications that beneficial ones?

It could have a lot of applications medically.

However, it could also be used to create horrific bio-weapons.

[Hawaii Islander]

Originally Posted by Sartori

It could have a lot of applications medically.

However, it could also be used to create horrific bio-weapons.

Those have been created long before this technology came along.

[Deluge Of Sound]

Do we really need this?

[Hawaii Islander]

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

Do we really need this?

Good question.

We won't really know the answer until after it's created, however. It's a little tough to predict what it's exact function(s) will be.

[bui]

Originally Posted by Hawaii Islander

Those have been created long before this technology came along.

Yes...everyone should read "Demon in the Freezer" by Richard Preston if you ever have the chance. Very quick read, but also pretty frightening.

[Jazz Ad]

Originally Posted by MadMan118

But seriously am I the only one that thinks this has more offensive applications that beneficial ones?

This is the case for pretty much every invention.

[bassybill]

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

Do we really need this?

I can just imagine someone saying that when Ug proudly demonstrated his very first wheel.

[TheSuzie]

I believe that unintended consequences will yield the most horrific results when it comes to the use of this technology. Well meaning individuals and groups will fail to see all the possible downstream effects of their plans. This has happened over and over again and it will be worse than ever before because of the nature of this technology.

Sigh,
S

[mattq]

Originally Posted by Sartori

It could have a lot of applications medically.

However, it could also be used to create horrific bio-weapons.

hmm, sounds like it's time to brush up on my zombie survival skills

[hbarcat]

Last January the team built a bacterium’s entire genetic code from scratch.



BULL !!!!

[Hawaii Islander]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

Last January the team built a bacterium’s entire genetic code from scratch.



BULL !!!!

No, not bull! Bacteria!

Bulls are next though!

[Deluge Of Sound]

Originally Posted by bassybill

I can just imagine someone saying that when Ug proudly demonstrated his very first wheel.

Except I'm pretty sure Dr. Venter won't knock me out with a club

However, I'm not much one for creating things that don't serve any purpose other than being created. I think "science" in general is an institution that attempts to side-step the "big questions" about human existence by trying to figure out how things are the way they are.

To put it another way, the people that came before us knew that eating opium poppies made you sleepy, sedate, tranquil, and were otherwise narcotic in nature. The fact that we can now identify the precise opioid compound that causes this effect doesn't really seem to be too much of a step-forward, more of a step sideways. The stuff still knocks you out.


To that end, synthesizing biological life doesn't seem to be a step in the direction of answering "the human question," (also know as the "where are we going as a species, why we're here in the first place, etc..." question) but merely the result of a very educated, very intelligent person essentially being allowed to play with a badass Erector Set. Science is cool, it is often useful, it has definitely shaped my world in ways that I cannot even possibly begin to wrap my head around, but it can also be profoundly counterproductive.


All IMO, and besides, I wouldn't be able to express anything to you (or the rest of TB) without science.