About SBOL
Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL) is an open-source standard for in silico representation of genetic designs. SBOL is designed to:
- Allow synthetic biologists and genetic engineers to electronically exchange designs
- Send and receive genetic designs to and from biofabrication centers
- Facilitate storage of genetic designs in repositories
- Embed genetic designs in publications
SBOL is built around the idea of a core that is used to unambiguously specify the design of a DNA molecule. Around the core are extensions that are used to increase the kind and amount of information transmitted by the language. There are six extensions under development. For example, one extension includes data and information on the performance of DNA components.
The adoption of SBOL offers many benefits, including: (1) enabling the use of multiple tools without rewriting designs for each tool, (2) enabling designs to be shared and published in a form other researchers can use even in a different software environment, and (3) ensuring the survival of design (and the intellectual effort put into them) beyond the lifetime of the software or the reseachers that were used to create them.
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