ABSTRACT
Synthetic biology has solidified itself as a powerful tool to study ecological, evolutionary, and cellular dynamics. Increasingly, however, synthetic biology is being used to engineer behaviors that have industrial and medical applications. In this chapter, we review the core facets of synthetic biology and gene circuit design. We then highlight contributions to the field that have used different “chassis” (in vitro, in vivo, and artificial cells) to drive gene circuits. We conclude by discussing recently engineered synthetic systems that have practical applications. Throughout the chapter, we place particular focus on systems that may be of interest to the nanotechnologist.
