牧羊者說

"Work in creating a synthetic chromosome/genome will give us a better understanding of basic cellular processes. Genome composition, regulatory circuits, signaling pathways and numerous other aspects of organism gene and protein function will be better understood through construction of a synthetic genome. Not only will this basic research lead to better understanding of these pathways and components in the particular organisms, but also better understanding of human biology. The ability to construct synthetic genomes may lead to extraordinary advances in our ability to engineer microorganisms for many vital energy and environmental purposes."--J. Craig Venter, 2003

"The successful completion of this research is important because it is one of the key proof of principles in synthetic genomics that will allow us to realize the ultimate goal of creating a synthetic organism," said J. Craig Venter, Ph.D.

Biologists are interested in synthetic biology because it provides a complementary perspective from which to consider, analyze, and ultimately understand the living world. Being able to design and build a system is also one very practical measure of understanding. For example. What scientists have done to date is akin to taking apart existing cars and seeing what happens when a Ferrari engine is installed in a Toyota. That is useful, but an even better way to understand cars is to build one from scratch.

Craig Venter: On the verge of creating synthetic life