title: Tuning the dials of Synthetic Biology.
abstract: Synthetic Biology is the 'Engineering of Biology' - it aims to use a forward-engineering design cycle based on specifications, modelling, analysis, experimental implementation, testing and validation to modify natural or design new, synthetic biology systems so that they behave in a predictable fashion. Motivated by the need for truly plug-and-play synthetic biological components, we present a comprehensive review of ways in which the various parts of a biological system can be modified systematically. In particular, we review the list of 'dials' that are available to the designer and discuss how they can be modelled, tuned and implemented. The dials are categorized according to whether they operate at the global, transcriptional, translational or post-translational level and the resolution that they operate at. We end this review with a discussion on the relative advantages and disadvantages of some dials over others.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK.|Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK.|Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: James A J
authors.initials: JAJ
authors.lastname: Arpino
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UK.
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Hancock
authors.affiliation: St John's College, St Giles, Oxford OX1 3JP, UK.|Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UK.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barahona
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK.|Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Guy-Bart V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Stan
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ, UK.
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papachristodoulou
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK.|Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Polizzi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D058615:Synthetic Biology / Q000379:methods*; D049490:Systems Biology
chemical_list: D004247:DNA