Software Lets Scientists Assemble DNA

Velcroman1 writes "Biochemical engineers can now download a piece of software and with a few simple clicks, assemble the DNA for new life forms through their laptops. 'With the proper computer tools, biologists can write their own genetic code — and then turn that code into life,' said biochemist Omri Amirav-Drory, who founded Genome Compiler Corp., the company that sells the software. He demonstrated at a coffee shop early one morning by manipulating a bacteria's genes on his laptop. The synthetic biology app is still in beta; on Jan. 15, the company added an undo feature and support for new DNA file formats. Building creatures is increasingly like word processing, it would seem. But such is the strange reality in the age of cheap genome sequencing, DNA synthesizing and 'bioinformatics.'"

Comments

Think I've played this game already

[dywolf]

It was called Spore.

Re:Think I've played this game already

[Anonymous Coward]

I think you're confusing Spore with that vaporware game that once held the same name.

Undo?

[meta-monkey]

"Undo feature?" Shouldn't the command to eliminate your unwanted DNA creations be called "Abort?"

Re:So -- the terrorists win in the end

[ArcadeMan]

So what you mean is that we should be monitoring Linux users?

Re:Protein expression?

[CanHasDIY]

Wonder what the output device will look like?

Genitalia.