BioBricks

Biobrick parts are standardized sequences of DNA that have been characterized and that perform a particular function. You can find out more about the biobrick standard here:

Describes the initial design and motivation of the parts:
Knight, T., Idempotent Vector Design for Standard Assembly of Biobricks. Unpublished, MIT 2001.

The Biobricks Foundation:
http://openwetware.org/wiki/The_BioBricks_Foundation