Oscillator

Several gene-synthesis companies yesterday finalized a code of conduct that outlines how to screen orders for synthetic DNA that could be used for terrorist activities.

The code, which has been in the works from the International Association of Synthetic Biology (IASB) in Heidelberg, Germany, for a year and a half, reflects for the most part what has become common practice in gene-synthesis companies. Before filling orders, the firms compare the gene sequences with those from organisms on lists of pathogens, such as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s select-agents list. Most companies then follow up ‘hits’ with human investigation of whether the match is valid and the purchaser is legitimate.

But how many companies will commit to this standard and whether this will end the conflict over how best to standardize these practices remains unclear.

The Joint BioEnergy Institute has created a new registry for BioBrick parts. While it remains to be seen if this registry will have some of the same problems as the original, I am happy to see that the pages for individual parts have comments fields, where users can presumably share their experiences and data. With enough of this kind of data on how these genes work together, and enough parts that do something besides make GFP, it may some day be possible to really use “off the shelf” parts in a predictable and useful way.