title: Synthetic biology and genetic causation.
abstract: Synthetic biology research is often described in terms of programming cells through the introduction of synthetic genes. Genetic material is seemingly attributed with a high level of causal responsibility. We discuss genetic causation in synthetic biology and distinguish three gene concepts differing in their assumptions of genetic control. We argue that synthetic biology generally employs a difference-making approach to establishing genetic causes, and that this approach does not commit to a specific notion of genetic program or genetic control. Still, we suggest that a strong program concept of genetic material can be used as a successful heuristic in certain areas of synthetic biology. Its application requires control of causal context, and may stand in need of a modular decomposition of the target system. We relate different modularity concepts to the discussion of genetic causation and point to possible advantages of and important limitations to seeking modularity in synthetic biology systems.
authors.affiliation: Philosophical Foundations for Systems Biology (PSBio), Department of Philosophy, Classics, History of Arts and Ideas, University of Oslo, Box 1020 Blindern, 0315 Oslo, Norway. gry.oftedal@ifikk.uio.no
authors.forename: Gry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oftedal
authors.forename: Veli-Pekka
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Parkkinen
mesh_terms: D037621:Artemisinins / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D005813:Genes, Synthetic; D007783:Lactones / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D010684:Philosophy; D058615:Synthetic Biology / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D037621:Artemisinins; D007783:Lactones; C075875:artemisin