Assembly of Standardized DNA Parts Using BioBrick Ends in E. coli

Synthetic biologists have adopted the engineering principle of standardization of parts and assembly in the construction of a variety of genetic circuits that program living cells to perform useful tasks. In this chapter, we describe the BioBrick standard as a widely used method. We present methods by which new BioBrick parts can be designed and produced, starting with existing clones, naturally occurring DNA, or de novo. We detail the procedures by which BioBrick parts can be assembled into construction intermediates and into biological devices. These protocols are based on our experience in conducting synthetic biology research with undergraduate students in the context of the iGEM competition.