OpenPlant

合成生物学的一个基本概念是，遗传系统可以使用标准化的、可互换的部件来构建。例如，功能性DNA序列如启动子、核糖体结合位点和编码序列可用于开发合成基因系统，所述合成基因系统可用于以系统方式重编程生命系统。大规模重新编程生命系统的前景将需要获得相对大量的组件。这与含有一种或几种成分的现有转基因产品形成对比。越来越多的人需要具有良好特征的常规组件库，这些组件可以共享以构建各种系统，从而确保小公司的自由运营。这对于促进微电子和软件开发等其他新技术出现时所看到的那种创新至关重要。因此，受开源软件运动的启发，合成生物学领域的很大一部分促进了开放标准和数据与资源的共享。教育界已经接受了开源原则，DNA部分作为iGEM社区等教育工作的一部分在国际上广泛而自由地分发，并逐年增长。BioBricks基金会是一个非营利组织，它植根于学术界，并促进了一个法律的框架，该框架将允许保护合成生物学应用和关键活动，但这将有助于共享部分。植物生物技术是一个很好的例子，表明目前的知识产权做法限制了交流和创新，这种模式有可能在植物合成生物学中占据主导地位。例如，人们只需要看看基本技术的限制性许可，如转化，选择标记和有用的基因。我们认为，该领域需要探索新的“双层”知识产权模式，以保护应用投资，同时促进DNA组件的共享和小公司在合成生物学商业应用中的自由经营。随着生物组装的速度和规模的增加，这变得更加紧迫。作为OpenPlant计划的一部分，我们将在英国各地建立开放源代码的DNA登记处，以共享信息，并加入植物特定部分的国际登记网。该技术本身成本低，可再生，并明显适用于新的可持续技术。

An essential concept in Synthetic Biology is that genetic systems can be constructed using standardised, interchangeable parts. For example, functional DNA sequences such as promoters, ribosome binding sites and coding sequences can be used to develop synthetic gene systems that can be used to reprogram living systems in a systematic way. The prospect of large-scale reprogramming of living systems, will require access to relatively large numbers of components. This is in contrast to existing GM products that contain one or a few components. There is growing requirement for libraries of well characterized routine components that can be shared for the construction of a variety of systems, where small companies would be ensured freedom to operate. This is essential to foster the kind of innovation seen at the emergence of other new technologies such as microelectronics and software development.Accordingly, a substantial part of the Synthetic Biology field has promoted open standards and sharing of data and resources, inspired by the open source software movement. The educational community has embraced the open source principle, and DNA parts are widely and freely distributed internationally as part of educational efforts like the iGEM community, and grows year-on-year. The BioBricks Foundation is a non-profit organisation which has roots in the academic community, and which has promoted a legal framework which would allow protection of Synthetic Biology applications and key activities, but which would facilitate sharing of parts. Plant biotechnology is a good example of a field where current IP practices have led to a restriction of exchange and innovation, and this model is threatening to predominate in plant synthetic biology. For examples, one just has to look at restrictive licensing of basic technologies like transformation, selection markers and useful genes. We believe that the field needs to explore new "two-tier" intellectual property models that will protect investment in applications, while promote sharing of DNA components and freedom-to-operate for small companies in commercial applications of Synthetic Biology. As the speed and scale of biological assembly increases, this becomes more pressing.As part of the OpenPlant initiative, we will establish open-source DNA registries across the UK for sharing information, and to join an international web of registries with plant specific parts. The technology is inherently low cost, renewable and has obvious applications for new sustainable technologies.