Designing a New Species

Craig Venter, the pivotal force behind the sequencing of the human genome, is now undertaking an exciting new challenge. He and his team are attempting to create an organism from scratch, by designing its genetic code piece by piece. They are attempting to accomplish this by using advanced computer technology to assemble DNA one nucleotide at a time. To start out, the team plans on assembling a single-cell bacterium with 517 genes. If they are able to create this living organism, simply by synthesizing the chemical sequences of its DNA, it will represent a profound scientific breakthrough. It will grant us insights into how life first arose, and will allow us to create genomes that do not even exist in nature. New synthetic organisms could be created to perform such tasks as generating hydrogen for energy, or cleaning up the environment. Synthetic life may serve as the precursor technology to nanobots.

Creating first synthetic life form