Synthetic biology and the development of tools for metabolic engineering

Metab Eng. 2012 May;14(3):189-95. doi: 10.1016/j.ymben.2012.01.004. Epub 2012 Feb 1.

Abstract

Synthetic biology can significantly advance metabolic engineering by contributing tools (minimal hosts, vectors, genetic controllers, characterized enzymes). The development of these tools significantly reduced the costs and time to develop the antimalarial drug artemisinin, but the availability of more tools could have reduced these costs substantially.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antimalarials / chemical synthesis
  • Antimalarials / economics
  • Antimalarials / metabolism
  • Artemisinins / chemical synthesis
  • Artemisinins / economics
  • Artemisinins / metabolism
  • Drug Design
  • Lactones / chemical synthesis
  • Lactones / economics
  • Lactones / metabolism
  • Metabolic Engineering / economics
  • Metabolic Engineering / methods*
  • Metabolic Engineering / trends
  • Synthetic Biology / economics
  • Synthetic Biology / methods*
  • Synthetic Biology / trends

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Artemisinins
  • Lactones
  • artemisin