OpenPlant

合成生物学中的一个基本概念是，遗传系统可以使用标准化的、可互换的部分来构建。例如，启动子、核糖体结合位点和编码序列等功能DNA序列可以用来开发合成基因系统，这些系统可以用来以系统的方式重新编程生命系统。对生命系统进行大规模重新编程的前景，将需要获得相对大量的组件。这与现有的含有一种或几种成分的转基因产品形成了鲜明对比。对具有良好特性的常规组件的库的需求日益增长，这些组件可共享用于各种系统的建设，从而确保小公司的运营自由。这对于促进其他新技术如微电子和软件开发出现时的创新至关重要。因此，在开放源码软件运动的启发下，合成生物学领域的相当一部分领域促进了开放标准以及数据和资源的共享。教育界已经接受了开源原则，DNA部分像iGEM社区一样广泛和自由地在国际上分发，作为教育努力的一部分，并在逐年增长。BioBricks基金会是一个植根于学术界的非营利性组织，它促进了一个法律框架，该框架将允许保护合成生物学的应用和关键活动，但这将促进部分共享。植物生物技术是当前知识产权实践导致交流和创新受到限制的一个很好的例子，这种模式正威胁着在植物合成生物学中占据主导地位。例如，人们只需考虑对转化、选择标记和有用基因等基本技术进行限制性许可。我们认为，该领域需要探索新的“两级”知识产权模式，这种模式将保护应用程序的投资，同时促进合成生物学商业应用中的DNA组件共享和小公司的操作自由。随着生物组装的速度和规模的增加，这变得更加紧迫。作为OpenFactory倡议的一部分，我们将在英国各地建立开放源代码的DNA注册中心，以共享信息，并加入具有植物特定部分的国际注册中心网络。这项技术本身成本低，可再生，对新的可持续技术有着明显的应用。

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.