A synthetic approach to abiogenesis.
Synthetic biology seeks to probe fundamental aspects of biological form and function by construction (resynthesis) rather than deconstruction (analysis). Here we discuss how such an approach could be applied to assemble synthetic quasibiological systems able to replicate and evolve, illuminating universal properties of life and the search for its origins.
Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
James
J
Attwater
Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
Philipp
P
Holliger
D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D004261:DNA Replication; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D016678:Genome; D060847:Metabolic Engineering / Q000379:methods; D010641:Phenotype; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012107:Research Design; D012984:Software; D058615:Synthetic Biology / Q000379:methods*
D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA