Craig Venter

Synthetic Genomics is the name of the company of Craig Venter who made headlines in 2010 by creating the first living organism called Synthia, with a synthetic genome. Craig Venter and his team had constructed the genome of the bacterium Mycoplasma mycoides from many preassembled units of DNA. Then they transplanted the genome into the cell of a closely related species that had been emptied of its own genome. The ‘host’ bacterium soon began to function and reproduce just as a naturally occurring mycoides would. This showed that custom-designing organisms to do all sorts of helpful tasks is eminently possible – – and may not be that far off.

• Venter’s company, Synthetic Genomics, is trying to develop synthetic algae that produce biofuels cheaply and efficiently. Synthetic Genomics signed a USD 600 million deal with ExxonMobil in 2009 to help make this happen.

Synthia / Minimal Genome Project / Genetic Software

In 2010, as part of the Minimal Genome Project, a team of the J. Craig Venter Institute synthesized a modified version of the 1,000,000 base pair Mycoplasma mycoides genome and implanted it into a DNA-free bacterial shell of Mycoplasma capricolum; the resulting organism was shown to be self-replicating, known as Mycoplasma laboratorium or Synthia. Mycoplasma laboratorium, nicknamed "Synthia" is controlled by what the group calls "genetic software". The scientists have been claiming that these synthetic organisms engineered to use carbon dioxide as a raw material could help humans settle Mars one day.

Craig Venter again in news

In 2012, Craig Venter was again in news when he said that synthetic organisms engineered to use carbon dioxide as a raw material could help humans settle Mars one day. He said that his team is now trying to design cells that can use atmospheric carbon dioxide to make food, fuel, plastics and other products. It will not only have huge implications on Earth, but it could also help make Mars — whose thin atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide — a more livable place.