Gene synthesis has revolutionized what was once thought to be impossible in the field of genetics. Synthesis of the first gene, a yeast tRNA, was achieved by Har Gobind Khorona and coworkers in 1972. Since then this technology has had long last impacts on genetic research and the biotechnology industry. Whether it is synthesizing small genes, ranging in lengths from a few hundred base pairs in length, to large genes, up to 150 Kb in length, gene synthesis has made recently daunting research aspirations achievable. Gene synthesis has a simple definition, the creation of synthetic genes within a laboratory setting, but an impactful influence on many scientific fields. One field in particular, genetic engineering, is often associated with gene synthesis. The association between these two topics is so prevalent because gene synthesis is a popular mechanism to achieve the genetic engineering sought out by researchers. Genetic engineering also has a wide range of application in many different scientific fields, many relying on gene synthesis.
Gene synthesis itself has a many applications, ranging from developing more effective vaccinations to creating large synthetic gene libraries. Synbio Technologies offers the ability to take a requested genetic sequence, in text format, and create the desired physical sequence with one hundred percent accuracy. This is done with our, patent pending, Syno® 2.0 Platform. The unique feature that this platform offers is the capability of synthesizing a genetic sequence that may not be preexisting within any organism. Previously, the sequence of interest was required to be existing in order to be extracted and later cloned. The Syno® 2.0 Platform allows us to generate the user specified sequence exactly, confirmed with Sanger sequencing, with a both time and cost effective manner. This technology is the foundation for genetic engineering. Genetic engineering is defined as the alteration of an organism’s genome using biotechnology.
This is accomplished through the incorporation of a genetic sequence that is foreign to an organism into its genome. The unique connection between gene synthesis and genetic engineering is found within this step. Gene synthesis allows us to synthetically create the gene of interest, which is then incorporated into the organism’s genome. The gene of interest can have a wide range of functions, and are specific and tailor made to the interest of the researcher. Once the gene of interest is incorporated into the organism’s genome, research can be conducted to determine effects of the newly incorporated gene on the organism. This general outline has been applied to a wide range of applications in various fields of interest.
The applications of genetic engineering can be found in many fields of ranging from gene therapy, through the use of viral vectors, to agriculture. Gene synthesis and genetic engineering have been used to study the effects of a genetic knockout in a particular gene, a method that is very commonly used in genetic research. It is seen when studying the effects of gene amplification, causing an overexpression of a gene of interest. Genetic engineering is most commonly seen in agriculture through the creation of genetically modified crops to optimize the quality as well as quantity of certain crops. This process has been going on for thousands of years through selective breeding, but recent advances in technology have allowed researchers to implement groundbreaking innovations on basic crop production. These innovations help to combat environmental pressures, such as draught or blight, as well as decreasing pesticide use by genetic modification. These modifications, accomplished by genetic engineering, have a simple goal in mind: to increase the quality and quantity of these crops which are essential in everyday life. It is through genetic engineering and gene synthesis that these innovations are possible.
The main advantage that gene synthesis has when relating to genetic engineering is the accessibility and ease of synthetically creating your gene of interest. With the help of our Syno® Platform, the process from desired sequence to genetically modified organism is easily achieved. This process starts with the input of the researcher’s requested sequence, up to 150 Kb in length. The requested sequences is created with one hundred percent accuracy and verified with Sanger sequencing. This step is done quickly and accurately. Then, the desired sequence will be shipped to your location within as few as five business days. In addition to the time and accuracy efficiency Synbio Technologies offers extremely cost effective pricing, starting at $0.25 per base pair for gene synthesis. Our combination of pricing, efficiency, and accuracy have lead Synbio Technologies to be one of the leading biotechnology companies, specializing in gene synthesis and genetic engineering.
