Help:Parts

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	Parts
	A standard biological part is a functional unit of DNA that encodes for a specific biological function. Parts have been standardized so that they can be used to efficiently develop biological systems in living cells.

What are biological parts

A biological part (or simply, part) is a sequence of DNA that encodes for a biological function. At its simplest, a basic part is a single functional unit that cannot be divided further into smaller functional units. Basic parts can be assembled together to make longer, more complex composite parts. The Registry organizes these parts by their type/function, which means that you can browse for a part that is specific to your needs.

You can find more information about part types on the part catalog.

Why use Registry parts

The Registry Catalog

If you wanted to build a traditional electronic device you would first pick up the specific electronic components that you would need (transistors, switches, LEDs, etc). When you go to an electronics store or website you'll find that these electronic components are organized by their function, specification, and requirements. This makes the process of creating your electronic device easier and faster. You don't have to manufacture the components from scratch, and there is already a wealth of information about each part, telling you how they work and how to use them.

The Registry offers this same advantage: you can browse the Registry's catalog of parts to find a promoter, ribosome binding site, protein coding region, and terminator to build a simple biological device to generate a protein. You may be very specific in your search, looking for a promoter that can be induced by

The BioBrick Standard

Once you've found the parts you want, the second advantage to Registry is that these parts are easily assembled. Parts belonging to the BioBrick standard are flanked on both ends with standard sequences, referred to as a prefix and suffix. The prefix and suffix contain restriction sites, which when used with specific restriction enzymes (cutting) and DNA ligase (connecting), allows parts to be assembled together forming a new part. See the <a href="https://parts.igem.org/Help:Standards">standards help page</a> for more information.

What else do I need to know

Plasmid Backbones Standards Assembly