Synthetic Biology: Navigating the Intersection of Energy and Environment
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By Fran Antequera, Deeptech Expert
What is going on?
Synthetic Biology (SynBio) is leading revolutionary advancements at the crossroads of biology and technology. In the realm of energy and the environment, SynBio entails the engineering and modification of biological systems to introduce novel functionalities across various domains, including environmental remediation1, energy production2, and climate change mitigation3.
What does it mean?
An opportunity to (bio)remediate
SynBio's capability to engineer microorganisms for the efficient degradation of pollutants, such as hydrocarbons4 and toxic metals5, provides a promising solution for environmental restoration and ecosystem health. SynBio solutions encompass detection (utilizing biosensors) and collection for removal from the environment.
The significant power of bioremediation lies in its ability to remove contaminants "on demand." Numerous researchers are identifying microorganisms capable of degrading waste in specific ecosystems, such as those affected by oil spills. Once these microorganisms are identified, SynBio can amplify their capabilities and introduce them into a contaminated environment through "bioaugmentation" to eliminate residues and create valuable products. Allonia, a spin-off of Ginkgo Bioworks, exemplifies this approach, having raised $60 million within its first 6 months of existence in March 20216.
A chance to enhance biofuels
Synthetic biology can play a transformative role in energy production, not only replacing petrochemicals derived, also creating its own biofuel while helping to decarbonize for example with algae7. A good example is the 25 million investment by Breakthrough Energy Ventures in Viridos8, a startup dedicated to creating algal biofuel for heavy transportation.
One of the main challenges is the requirement for a substantial investment to establish full-scale algae biofuel farms. These farms can address SynBio by optimizing the photosynthetic rate of the algae through genetic engineering or by modifying metabolic pathways, thereby enhancing the efficiency of lipid production for biofuel synthesis9.
Why does it matter?
💸For markets
SynBio is pivotal for the bioeconomy, steering a shift towards a circular approach that promotes sustainability, minimizes waste, and contributes to environmental conservation. The UK government has recently announced a $2 billion investment to harness synthetic biology's potential in environmental protection, as well as other sectors such as medicine and food10.
🧑🏿🤝🧑🏻For society
Synthetic biology's impact on energy and the environment is pivotal for society's well-being. It opens avenues for cleaner energy sources, reduces dependence on finite resources, and aids in environmental conservation and pollution control11.
🔮What's Next
The trajectory of SynBio in energy and environmental applications is dynamic. Future advancements may witness the development of even more efficient biofuel production processes, enhanced carbon capture technologies, and the creation of bio-based systems for bioremediation and value-added products. As SynBio continues to evolve, its applications are likely to expand, addressing emerging challenges in novel and unexpected ways.
Rylott, E. L., & Bruce, N. C. (2020). How synthetic biology can help bioremediation. Current Opinion in Chemical Biology, 58, 86-95.
Shears, J. (2019). Is there a role for synthetic biology in addressing the transition to a new low‐carbon energy system?. Microbial Biotechnology, 12(5), 824.
DeLisi, C. (2019). The role of synthetic biology in climate change mitigation. Biology Direct, 14(1), 1-5.
Jiménez-Díaz, V., Pedroza-Rodríguez, A. M., Ramos-Monroy, O., & Castillo-Carvajal, L. C. (2022). Synthetic biology: a new era in hydrocarbon bioremediation. Processes, 10(4), 712.
Somayaji, A., Sarkar, S., Balasubramaniam, S., & Raval, R. (2022). Synthetic biology techniques to tackle heavy metal pollution and poisoning. Synthetic and Systems Biotechnology, 7(3), 841-846.
xios (March, 2021). Cleaning pollution the synthetic biology way. Website: https://www.axios.com/2021/03/17/allonnia-synthetic-biology-bioremediation-pollution
Adeniyi, O. M., Azimov, U., & Burluka, A. (2018). Algae biofuel: current status and future applications. Renewable and sustainable energy reviews, 90, 316-335.
agadevan, S., Banerjee, A., Banerjee, C., Guria, C., Tiwari, R., Baweja, M., & Shukla, P. (2018). Recent developments in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering in microalgae towards biofuel production. Biotechnology for biofuels, 11, 1-21.
A Business Wire. (March, 2023). Breakthrough Energy Ventures Leads $25M Series A for Viridos’ Revolutionary and Sustainable Algae Biofuels. Website: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230313005209/en/Breakthrough-Energy-Ventures-Leads-25M-Series-A-for-Viridos%E2%80%99-Revolutionary-and-Sustainable-Algae-Biofuels
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology UK Government (Press release) Government publishes £2 billion vision for engineering biology to revolutionise medicine, food and environmental protection https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-publishes-2-billion-vision-for-engineering-biology-to-revolutionise-medicine-food-and-environmental-protection
De Lorenzo, V., Prather, K. L., Chen, G. Q., O'Day, E., von Kameke, C., Oyarzún, D. A., ... & Lee, S. Y. (2018). The power of synthetic biology for bioproduction, remediation and pollution control: the UN's Sustainable Development Goals will inevitably require the application of molecular biology and biotechnology on a global scale. EMBO reports, 19(4), e45658.