Synbio Meets Conservation
Synthetic biology, or synbio, employs the latest and most advanced gene-editing tools, such as the “cut-and-paste” technology known as CRISPR-Cas9. Combined with new techniques to digitise and automate the design and modelling of various genetic elements, scientists can now engineer organisms to produce novel food ingredients or to rewire the switches that express genes that control certain functions. In terms of conservation, synbio could potentially address several areas of concern, such as curbing invasive species, reducing pressures from wildlife trade, improving resistance to disease, and even bringing a species back from the brink of extinction
Introduction
Synthetic biology refers to technologies that allow humans to make precise alterations to the genes of organisms. Synthetic biology applications have important positive and negative implications for biodiversity conservation depending on how they are designed and targeted.
Potential benefits range from protecting threatened species to providing synthetic alternatives to wildlife products. Potential detrimental effects include changes to ecological roles played by target organisms and negative impacts on the livelihoods of indigenous and local communities that largely depend on biodiversity.
The use of synthetic biology needs to be informed by case-by-case assessments guided by empirical evidence and incorporating traditional knowledge and ethical values in decision-making.
What Are Endangered And Threatened Species?
Under the Endangered Species Act, a species is considered “endangered” if it is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. A species is considered “threatened” if it is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future.
Impact Of Synbio On Conservation
Depending on how they are designed and targeted, certain synthetic biology applications have the potential to enhance or disrupt biodiversity conservation, acting through both direct and indirect pathways.
Synthetic Biology At CSIRO
Synthetic biology is an emerging field of research that combines genetics, chemistry and engineering. Scientists working in synthetic biology design, build, and test DNA to enable plants, animals and other organisms (e.g. bacteria, fungi, algae) to function in desired ways. These organisms could then be used to help in the management of environmental and societal problems such as pollution, waste, land degradation and biodiversity loss.
The CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform has developed a range of synthetic biology techniques, such as genetic engineering, gene editing and gene marking.
Conclusion
Synthetic biology is an emerging discipline that can be viewed as the endpoint or the prescriptive, intentional phase of biology.
As such, it raises many of the same ethical questions as traditional genetic engineering. Because synthetic biology is so new, it isn't easy to accurately assess its ramifications. If it lives up to at least some of the applications scientists currently believe are possible, synthetic biology could be of considerable benefit and provide solutions to some of humanity’s most pressing problems. It is worth thinking about the ethical questions that synthetic biology raises at this early stage in its development and consider strategies that may prevent misuse.
