Course will teach students the skills needed for plant synthetic biology projects, focusing on genetic technologies and bioinformatics tools to design synthetic promoters, transcription factors, logic gates, and other regulatory systems to control plant gene expression.
Athena Title
Plant Synthetic Biology
Prerequisite
GENE 3200-3200D or GENE 3200E or GENE 3200H or PBIO(CRSS) 4500/6500 or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will understand the fundamental principles and approaches of plant synthetic biology and be able to apply these to their own graduate research.
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will analyze genetic circuit diagrams in plant synthetic biology literature, identifying genetic parts, regulation, and output functions.
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will design synthetic genetic circuits in plants, incorporating regulatory elements such as synthetic promoters, transcription factors, and logic gates to control gene expression.
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will evaluate the potential applications of plant genetic circuits in addressing global challenges in agriculture, sustainability, and environmental interactions, including metabolic engineering, crop improvement, and synthetic plant-microbe interactions.
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will develop proficiency in computational tools and software for gene expression modeling, bioinformatics, and DNA assembly, integrating them into the plant synthetic biology design-build-test-learn workflow.
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will critically assess the biological, ethical, and safety implications of synthetic biology projects in plants, considering environmental and regulatory perspectives.
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will collaborate effectively in group projects to apply knowledge of synthetic biology, molecular biology, and plant science to design innovative solutions for plant-based biotechnology challenges.
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will effectively propose plant synthetic biology concepts in both written and oral formats, including the presentation of experimental designs and implications for biotechnology.
Topical Outline
1. Introduction to plant synthetic biology history, methods, and applications
2. Emerging plant transformation tools
3. Basics of genetic circuit parts: promoters and synthetic transcription factors
4. Genetic logic gates and memory
5. Synthetic plant signaling and development
6. Plant metabolic engineering
7. Plant-microbe-environment interactions
8. Synthetic biology solutions to planetary problems
