Venter team claims to have created a synthetic chromosome

Via Art Caplan comes word that Craig Venter's effort to create a synthetic microbe has taken a step forward. The Guardian reports that Venter's team has created a synthetic chromosome and could announce very soon that it has created the world's first synthetic life form. The Guardian piece touches briefly on some of the ethical and regulatory challenges such an organism would pose:

Mr Venter said he had carried out an ethical review before completing the experiment. "We feel that this is good science," he said. He has further heightened the controversy surrounding his potential breakthrough by applying for a patent for the synthetic bacterium.

Pat Mooney, director of a Canadian bioethics organisation, ETC group, said the move was an enormous challenge to society to debate the risks involved. "Governments, and society in general, is way behind the ball. This is a wake-up call - what does it mean to create new life forms in a test-tube?"

He said Mr Venter was creating a "chassis on which you could build almost anything. It could be a contribution to humanity such as new drugs or a huge threat to humanity such as bio-weapons".

Mr Venter believes designer genomes have enormous positive potential if properly regulated. In the long-term, he hopes they could lead to alternative energy sources previously unthinkable. Bacteria could be created, he speculates, that could help mop up excessive carbon dioxide, thus contributing to the solution to global warming, or produce fuels such as butane or propane made entirely from sugar.

"We are not afraid to take on things that are important just because they stimulate thinking," he said. "We are dealing in big ideas. We are trying to create a new value system for life. When dealing at this scale, you can't expect everybody to be happy."

posted Oct 7, 2007 | link | jump to the comments (4)

tags: Craig Venter, synthetic biology

comments

This article was really interesting to read because at first, the use of synthetic chromosomes seemed unethical and unlawful. Having the ability to create an actual life form could potentially be dangerous if placed in the wrong hands. However, this article pointed out several positive uses for synthetic chromosomes and opened up a whole new view for me. I never thought these genomes could be used to help with the global warming issue and be used as an alternative energy source. I believe that synthetic chromosomes could benefit the world and society if put to use properly and ethically. However, I believe that today's society is still not completely ready for such advancement in medicine and technology. It still seems like creating a life form was only found in movies and that it could never really happen in the real would. But I do agree that this synthetic bacterium could potentially do well. Our world could be a better place, especially if new energy sources were developed to help decrease the issues across our planet today due to global warming. There would be less car emissions, since less fuel would be used and it would change the dependency of oil from certain countries and hopefully dismiss some of the conflicts caused by oil. Therefore, I believe there are a lot of positive aspects coming from this newly created synthetic chromosome.

- by Danielle McCauley on Oct 9, 2007 at 10:02 PM | link

This article opened up a completely new perspective about the way I view the use of synthetic chromosomes. Initially I did not support the use of synthetic chromosomes, for I believed it to be unethical and potentially dangerous. You are talking about someone having the ability to create an actual life form, which if done irresponsibly, could have devastating outcomes. Furthermore, if the situation is not handled with extreme caution or is placed in the wrong hands, things could get very dangerous and out of control. However, when the article started listing the wide range of range of possible positive outcomes, many of which I would have never thought of, my outlook began to change. For example, I would have never imagined that genomes could have the capability of to help reduce global warming or that they could actually be used as an alternative energy source. These are some really interesting things that would greatly benefit the world around us. As long as these new discoveries are put to good use, and by that I mean by ethical standards, our society could benefit greatly from the creation of synthetic chromosomes. It is truly amazing how many different possibilities could come from this discovery. Given all the positive outcomes, I feel that synthetic chromosomes would greatly contribute to the solution of important problems in our world and in our society.

- by Lauen Shumate on Oct 10, 2007 at 5:08 PM | link

The information presented in this article was very interesting and informative, although frightening at the same time in my personal opinion. I never though artificial chromosomes could lead to bacteria that could lower CO2 levels in the atmosphere? That sounds more like a far fetched advertising ploy to me, and a scary concept... What if there becomes too much of that bacteria and not enough CO2 as the earth needs the right amount to function the way it does. That aside, it sounds like there are many gateways for advancement that could open, but sounds a bit scary as so where that could lead... It could open doorways for designer engineered babies and I just don't believe in playing God. However, if maybe were limited to just eliminating the potential for harmful diseases it could be justified. However, engineering hair color, eye color, height... is just too far.

- by Ryan Ruiz on Oct 11, 2007 at 12:12 PM | link

I think the potential benefits that could be employed for such a project are by no means reasons to fully support the synthetic chromosome. This sounds too much like, "the ends justify the means," for me to accept without some skepticism and nervousness. What it really boils down to is whether or not such a practice is unethical for its own value and purposes, not whether going further along with this project would have positive benefits or not. Especially when it would be all too easy for this sort of technology to be government controlled and severely abused; just because scientists made it, doesn't mean they will be controlling it. Even considering that they did have full control we are dealing with imperfect men; "absolute power corrupts absolutely," and their grandiose claims certainly doesn't seem too far from an unstoppable force. For these reasons I cannot support such a project, until society and our motivations become more wholesome; I don't trust these scientists at all when they talk about only the positive benefits that could come. Sounds like a glittering generalization to lull us into a false sense of security.

- by Richard on Apr 16, 2008 at 8:02 PM | link

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