Dr. Craig Venter cracked the human genome in the year 2000 using the genetic information of 5 individuals to sequence the human genome. More recently, Dr. Venter has patented the "mycoplasma laboratorium," a potential, partially synthetic living self-replicating organism, with an artificial genome derived from the genetic code of the mycoplasma genitalium and manipulated for functionality. Although, the artificial microbe has yet to successfully implant, Venter insists the future of this organism will result in revolutionary commercial advances. Development of the mycoplasma laboratorium hold evidence for numerous methods of use, such as green fuels to replace oil and coal, digest toxic waste, and absorb greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Designer microbes tailored to deal with pollution and excess carbon dioxide will also help meet the demands of future fuel needs.
Today, people can have their DNA analyzed for the potential of harmful genetic predisposition to life-threatening diseases thanks to Dr. Venter's work and the technology which supports it. In the future, the advances of the mycoplasma laboratorium may provide the technology necessary to relieve the world of its dependence on environmental pollutants as resources of energy.
Craig Venter: Creating life in a lab using DNA. Telegraph. UK. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2007/10/16/scilife116.xml&page=3. Accessed November 19, 2007.
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