Promoting microbiology education through the iGEM synthetic biology competition

Abstract

Synthetic biology has developed rapidly in the 21st century. It covers a range of scientific disciplines that incorporate principles from engineering to take advantage of and improve biological systems, often applied to specific problems. Methods important in this subject area include the systematic design and testing of biological systems and, here, we describe how synthetic biology projects frequently develop microbiology skills and education. Synthetic biology research has huge potential in biotechnology and medicine, which brings important ethical and moral issues to address, offering learning opportunities about the wider impact of microbiological research. Synthetic biology projects have developed into wide-ranging training and educational experiences through iGEM, the International Genetically Engineered Machines competition. Elements of the competition are judged against specific criteria and teams can win medals and prizes across several categories. Collaboration is an important element of iGEM, and all DNA constructs synthesized by iGEM teams are made available to all researchers through the Registry for Standard Biological Parts. An overview of microbiological developments in the iGEM competition is provided. This review is targeted at educators that focus on microbiology and synthetic biology, but will also be of value to undergraduate and postgraduate students with an interest in this exciting subject area.

BioBits™ Bright: A fluorescent synthetic biology education kit

“…Synthetic biology–based educational efforts such as the BioBuilder Educational Foundation ( 11 – 14 ) and the International Genetically Engineered Machines competition ( 15 , 16 ) have made great strides toward incorporating synthetic biology into high school and university education. These programs have resulted in student-reported academic gains, high student engagement, and increased self-identification as biological engineers ( 17 – 19 ).…”

Cellular reagents for diagnostics and synthetic biology

“…Our work now begins to demonstrate that perhaps IVTT procedures might be further simplified by eliminating lysis and basal purification. The interest in in vitro biology overlaps significantly with the continuing adoption of synthetic biology methods for both research and education [ 48 , 49 ], and the demonstration that cellular reagents can be used for Gibson assembly points the way to a new paradigm for making constructs in which a variety of ‘cellular templates’ might be distributed along with cellular reagents to create entirely new constructs. Into the future, we believe the cellular reagent platform can be expanded to offer additional enzymatic activities as well as alternate cellular environments such as those offered by eukaryotes like Pichia pastoris and Saccharomyces cerevisiae [ 50 ].…”

Computer-aided re-engineering of nonribosomal peptide and polyketide biosynthetic assembly lines

“…Extensive genetic and biosynthetic parts catalogs have been growing in recent years, such as the iGEM Registry of Standard Biological Parts. 71 In addition, databases of BGCs are helping to provide valued comparative context for design efforts. Some of the most successful computational approaches to NRPS/PKS redesign have relied on comparative analysis of related BGCs, which can help decipher optimal fusion/recombination points, identify new biosynthetic parts, and improve our understanding of module specicities.…”