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Cultivating Sustainable Agricultural Practices Using Synthetic Biology

Forbes Technology Council

Founder & COO of DNA Script, pioneering a new, fast, powerful and versatile way to design and manufacture nucleic acids.

It’s no secret that current agricultural practices increase greenhouse gas emissions and are one of the key drivers of climate change. Recognizing these effects, the White House’s Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 recommends several greener agricultural options in a bid to help reduce emissions. For example, the plan recommends offering financial incentives to move toward these greener options and driving climate-smart land management. This is an important step toward reducing the impact of agriculture, but there is room to do much more.

The contribution of current farming practices to ongoing climate challenges is substantial. In 2020 alone, agriculture in the United States emitted approximately 669.5 million metric tons of gases equivalent to carbon dioxide. Of note, 50.5% of that was nitrous oxide from fertilizers. Methane from cattle and livestock accounted for 37.5% of greenhouse gases in 2020. Added to this is the carbon footprint from gas and oil needed to run agricultural equipment.

Mitigating these effects requires investing in cleaner agricultural practices. Alternative products developed using methods from synthetic biology are one potential avenue worth exploring.

Synthetic Biology Alternatives And Benefits

Synthetic biology involves reengineering cells to produce new molecules and substances. Essentially, scientists use cells as factories to manufacture products on a large scale. Today large bio-foundries produce molecules and compounds that are used in a range of industries, from healthcare to cosmetics to nutraceuticals.

This practice could work in several areas of agricultural production. For example, it could be leveraged to engineer biological fertilizers, fix nitrogen using microbes or develop more resistant crops. It is already being used to generate alternative sources of meat and other livestock products, as seen with the development of the Impossible burger.

Similarly, synthetic biology provides alternatives for oil and fuel. One viable option is the use of vegetable stock to create cleaner and more environmentally friendly alternatives to fossil fuels.

DNA synthesis technologies are critical to the advancement of this type of science. For decades, phosphoramidite-based synthesis was the go-to method for generating short sequences used by synthetic biologists to modify organisms. Newer methods such as enzymatic DNA synthesis (EDS) are making it possible to manufacture longer sequences at scale quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, EDS avoids the harsh chemicals used in traditional phosphoramidite synthesis, so the manufacturing process is more sustainable and less harmful to the environment.

Ongoing Challenges

Biological systems are complex, and reengineering them to make new products is non-trivial. While methods of synthesizing DNA are improving, the associated costs have to be reduced by several orders of magnitude if the technology is to compete with fossil fuel-based production systems. Also, while many processes work successfully in the lab, they do not always scale to meet commercial production needs. There are also challenges with translating synthetic biology research into practical applications across different industries.

Furthermore, biomanufacturers rely mostly on a handful of microbial hosts—E. coli and yeast are common choices—as bio-factories to produce a range of molecules and materials. Research into new microbial production systems such as cyanobacteria is ongoing, but results may still be some years away. Lastly, there are valid concerns about the risk of reengineering organisms because of the potential for unintended harm. For example, modified organisms might produce toxic molecules or exhibit new pathogenic traits as a result of the changes to their genomes.

The Future Is Synthetic Biology

Synthetic biology has been around for decades and is used to produce some familiar products. At its core, the field is all about observing and mimicking natural methods and then refining them for improved outcomes. For example, reengineered yeast strains are used to make the beer brewing process more efficient. The ability to engineer biology also opens the possibility of reducing emissions from landfills. In the context of healthcare, research and tools developed by synthetic biologists have helped with vaccine development.

Synthetic biology is reshaping the agro-economy by enabling alternative means of producing goods and cleaner agricultural practices. Both B2B and B2C companies are utilizing synthetic biology to create greener alternatives for a range of products, and they have a successful track record of doing so.

Several companies in the agricultural space already harness the power of synthetic biology to make new products. For example, Pivot Bio offers a green nitrogen alternative for a fertilizer that is manufactured via fermentation. And the solid track record of synthetic biology extends from farm to table, where multiple companies have stepped up to meet the demand for foods that support plant-based diets. Companies like Impossible Foods, Beyond Meat and Gourmey all offer meat alternatives generated by synthetic biology processes. Some alternative meats have even been engineered to mimic bleeding or recreate the taste and texture of the real deal for items like foie gras to make them more appealing to a broader audience.

And there is room for continued innovation. As an example, techniques from synthetic biology can be used to improve food quality, safety and nutritional value as well as to mass produce medicinal compounds and ingredients for drug development programs. The possibilities for developing and bringing bio-manufactured products to market really are endless.


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