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3 years ago in Molecular Biology , Synthetic Biology By Rani
How is synthetic DNA produced and used in synthetic biology?
As a graduate student engineering genetic circuits, I order gene fragments all the time. But I realize I don't fully grasp the industrial-scale chemistry behind solid-phase synthesis or the various assembly methods (Gibson, Golden Gate). A step-by-step, practical breakdown from nucleotide to functional gene would solidify my foundational understanding for better experimental design.
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By Raunaq Answered 1 year ago
The process starts not with biology, but with chemistry solid-phase phosphoramidite synthesis. I've visited facilities where machines sequentially add nucleotides to a growing chain anchored to a bead, building oligos up to ~200 bases. For longer genes, we use in vitro assembly methods like Gibson Assembly, which I use weekly; it uses overlapping homology and enzymes to seamlessly stitch fragments. This synthetic DNA is the literal code we then insert into cells to boot up new programs be it producing a medicine, sensing a toxin, or recording cellular events. It's the foundational feedstock of the entire field.
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