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Noonan AJC, Qiu Y, Ho JCH, Ocampo J, Vreugdenhil KA, Marr RA, Zhao Z, Yoshikuni Y, Hallam SJ. CRAGE-mediated insertion of fluorescent chromosomal markers for accurate and scalable measurement of co-culture dynamics in Escherichia coli. Synth Biol (Oxf) 2021; 5:ysaa015. [PMID: 33381654 PMCID: PMC7751189 DOI: 10.1093/synbio/ysaa015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Monitoring population dynamics in co-culture is necessary in engineering microbial consortia involved in distributed metabolic processes or biosensing applications. However, it remains difficult to measure strain-specific growth dynamics in high-throughput formats. This is especially vexing in plate-based functional screens leveraging whole-cell biosensors to detect specific metabolic signals. Here, we develop an experimental high-throughput co-culture system to measure and model the relationship between fluorescence and cell abundance, combining chassis-independent recombinase-assisted genome engineering (CRAGE) and whole-cell biosensing with a PemrR-green fluorescent protein (GFP) monoaromatic reporter used in plate-based functional screening. CRAGE was used to construct Escherichia coli EPI300 strains constitutively expressing red fluorescent protein (RFP) and the relationship between RFP expression and optical density (OD600) was determined throughout the EPI300 growth cycle. A linear equation describing the increase of normalized RFP fluorescence during deceleration phase was derived and used to predict biosensor strain dynamics in co-culture. Measured and predicted values were compared using flow cytometric detection methods. Induction of the biosensor lead to increased GFP fluorescence normalized to biosensor cell abundance, as expected, but a significant decrease in relative abundance of the biosensor strain in co-culture and a decrease in bulk GFP fluorescence. Taken together, these results highlight sensitivity of population dynamics to variations in metabolic activity in co-culture and the potential effect of these dynamics on the performance of functional screens in plate-based formats. The engineered strains and model used to evaluate these dynamics provide a framework for optimizing growth of synthetic co-cultures used in screening, testing and pathway engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avery J C Noonan
- Genome Science and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Yilin Qiu
- Genome Science and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Joe C H Ho
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Jewel Ocampo
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - K A Vreugdenhil
- Genome Science and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - R Alexander Marr
- Genome Science and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Zhiying Zhao
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Yasuo Yoshikuni
- US Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Steven J Hallam
- Genome Science and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
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53
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Moškon M, Pušnik Ž, Zimic N, Mraz M. Field-programmable biological circuits and configurable (bio)logic blocks for distributed biological computing. Comput Biol Med 2020; 128:104109. [PMID: 33221638 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2020.104109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic biology applications often require engineered computing structures, which can be programmed to process the information in a given way. However, programming of these structures usually requires significant amount of trial-and-error genetic engineering. This process is to some degree analogous to the design of application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) in the domain of digital electronic circuits, which often require complex and time-consuming workflows to obtain a desired response. We describe a design of programmable biological circuits that can be configured without additional genetic engineering. Their configuration can be changed in vivo, i.e. during the execution of their biological program, simply with an introduction of programming inputs. These, e.g., increase the degradation rates of selected proteins that store the current configuration of the circuit. Programming can be thus performed in the field as in the case of field-programmable gate array (FPGA) circuits, which present an attractive alternative of ASICs in digital electronics. We describe a basic programmable unit, which we denote configurable (bio)logical block (CBLB) inspired by the architecture of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), basic functional units within the FPGA circuits. The design of a CBLB is based on distributed cellular computing modules, which makes its biological implementation easier to achieve. We establish a computational model of a CBLB and analyse its response with a given set of biologically feasible parameter values. Furthermore, we show that the proposed CBLB design exhibits correct behaviour for a vast range of kinetic parameter values, different population ratios, and as well preserves this response in stochastic simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miha Moškon
- Faculty of Computer and Information Science, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Žiga Pušnik
- Faculty of Computer and Information Science, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nikolaj Zimic
- Faculty of Computer and Information Science, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Miha Mraz
- Faculty of Computer and Information Science, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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54
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Developing a pathway-independent and full-autonomous global resource allocation strategy to dynamically switching phenotypic states. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5521. [PMID: 33139748 PMCID: PMC7606477 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19432-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
A grand challenge of biological chemical production is the competition between synthetic circuits and host genes for limited cellular resources. Quorum sensing (QS)-based dynamic pathway regulations provide a pathway-independent way to rebalance metabolic flux over the course of the fermentation. Most cases, however, these pathway-independent strategies only have capacity for a single QS circuit functional in one cell. Furthermore, current dynamic regulations mainly provide localized control of metabolic flux. Here, with the aid of engineering synthetic orthogonal quorum-related circuits and global mRNA decay, we report a pathway-independent dynamic resource allocation strategy, which allows us to independently controlling two different phenotypic states to globally redistribute cellular resources toward synthetic circuits. The strategy which could pathway-independently and globally self-regulate two desired cell phenotypes including growth and production phenotypes could totally eliminate the need for human supervision of the entire fermentation. A challenge for biological chemical production is the completion between synthetic circuits and host resources. Here the authors the authors use quorum sensing circuits and global mRNA decay to independently control two phenotypic states.
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55
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Jiang W, He X, Luo Y, Mu Y, Gu F, Liang Q, Qi Q. Two Completely Orthogonal Quorum Sensing Systems with Self-Produced Autoinducers Enable Automatic Delayed Cascade Control. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:2588-2599. [PMID: 32786361 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The existence of crosstalk between quorum sensing systems limits their application in a complex environment. In this study, two completely orthogonal quorum sensing systems with self-produced autoinducers were built in one cell to enable the systems to be signal orthogonal and promoter orthogonal to each other. The systems were designed on the basis of the las system from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the tra system from Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Both were optimized with respect to the orthogonality of signals and promoters by using a series of synthetic biology strategies and high-throughput screening. The systems were applied intracellularly, and an automatic delayed cascade circuit was successfully demonstrated, which can realize sequential gene expression without exogenous inducer. This circuit provides a new tool for biotechnological applications, such as metabolic regulation, that require sequential gene control. This cascade model expands the toolkit of synthetic biology research and indicates a high application potential of quorum sensing systems that are orthogonal to each other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 266237 Qingdao, China
| | - Xinyuan He
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 266237 Qingdao, China
| | - Yue Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 266237 Qingdao, China
| | - Yunlan Mu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 266237 Qingdao, China
| | - Fei Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 266237 Qingdao, China
| | - Quanfeng Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 266237 Qingdao, China
| | - Qingsheng Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 266237 Qingdao, China
- CAS Key Lab of Biobased Materials, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101 Qingdao, China
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56
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Du P, Zhao H, Zhang H, Wang R, Huang J, Tian Y, Luo X, Luo X, Wang M, Xiang Y, Qian L, Chen Y, Tao Y, Lou C. De novo design of an intercellular signaling toolbox for multi-channel cell-cell communication and biological computation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4226. [PMID: 32839450 PMCID: PMC7445162 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17993-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Intercellular signaling is indispensable for single cells to form complex biological structures, such as biofilms, tissues and organs. The genetic tools available for engineering intercellular signaling, however, are quite limited. Here we exploit the chemical diversity of biological small molecules to de novo design a genetic toolbox for high-performance, multi-channel cell-cell communications and biological computations. By biosynthetic pathway design for signal molecules, rational engineering of sensing promoters and directed evolution of sensing transcription factors, we obtain six cell-cell signaling channels in bacteria with orthogonality far exceeding the conventional quorum sensing systems and successfully transfer some of them into yeast and human cells. For demonstration, they are applied in cell consortia to generate bacterial colony-patterns using up to four signaling channels simultaneously and to implement distributed bio-computation containing seven different strains as basic units. This intercellular signaling toolbox paves the way for engineering complex multicellularity including artificial ecosystems and smart tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Du
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial, Physiological, and Metabolic Engineering and Institute of Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Huiwei Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial, Physiological, and Metabolic Engineering and Institute of Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100149, China
| | - Haoqian Zhang
- Bluepha Co., Ltd, ZGC Science Park, Changping, Beijing, 102206, China.,Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Ruisha Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial, Physiological, and Metabolic Engineering and Institute of Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100149, China
| | - Jianyi Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial, Physiological, and Metabolic Engineering and Institute of Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100149, China
| | - Ye Tian
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial, Physiological, and Metabolic Engineering and Institute of Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xudong Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial, Physiological, and Metabolic Engineering and Institute of Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xunxun Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial, Physiological, and Metabolic Engineering and Institute of Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100149, China
| | - Min Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial, Physiological, and Metabolic Engineering and Institute of Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yanhui Xiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, University Town, Nanshan, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Long Qian
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yihua Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial, Physiological, and Metabolic Engineering and Institute of Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100149, China
| | - Yong Tao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial, Physiological, and Metabolic Engineering and Institute of Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100149, China.
| | - Chunbo Lou
- College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100149, China. .,CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1068 Xueyuan Avenue, University Town, Nanshan, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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57
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Draft Genome Sequences of Pantoea agglomerans, Paenibacillus polymyxa, and Pseudomonas sp. Strains, Seed Biogel-Associated Endophytes of Cucumis sativus L. (Cucumber) and Cucumis melo L. (Cantaloupe). Microbiol Resour Announc 2020; 9:9/32/e00667-20. [PMID: 32763934 PMCID: PMC7409851 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00667-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We report here the draft genome sequences of strains of Pantoea agglomerans (EKM10T, EKM20T, EKM21T, and EKM22T), Paenibacillus polymyxa (EKM10P and EKM11P), and Pseudomonas sp. strain EKM23D. These microbes were cultured from fresh seed biogels of Cucumis sativus L. (cucumber) and Cucumis melo L. (cantaloupe). The strains suppress the growth of soilborne fungal/oomycete phytopathogens in vitro. We report here the draft genome sequences of strains of Pantoea agglomerans (EKM10T, EKM20T, EKM21T, and EKM22T), Paenibacillus polymyxa (EKM10P and EKM11P), and Pseudomonas sp. strain EKM23D. These microbes were cultured from fresh seed biogels of Cucumis sativus L. (cucumber) and Cucumis melo L. (cantaloupe). The strains suppress the growth of soilborne fungal/oomycete phytopathogens in vitro.
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58
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Stephens K, Bentley WE. Synthetic Biology for Manipulating Quorum Sensing in Microbial Consortia. Trends Microbiol 2020; 28:633-643. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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59
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Karkaria BD, Treloar NJ, Barnes CP, Fedorec AJH. From Microbial Communities to Distributed Computing Systems. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:834. [PMID: 32793576 PMCID: PMC7387671 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A distributed biological system can be defined as a system whose components are located in different subpopulations, which communicate and coordinate their actions through interpopulation messages and interactions. We see that distributed systems are pervasive in nature, performing computation across all scales, from microbial communities to a flock of birds. We often observe that information processing within communities exhibits a complexity far greater than any single organism. Synthetic biology is an area of research which aims to design and build synthetic biological machines from biological parts to perform a defined function, in a manner similar to the engineering disciplines. However, the field has reached a bottleneck in the complexity of the genetic networks that we can implement using monocultures, facing constraints from metabolic burden and genetic interference. This makes building distributed biological systems an attractive prospect for synthetic biology that would alleviate these constraints and allow us to expand the applications of our systems into areas including complex biosensing and diagnostic tools, bioprocess control and the monitoring of industrial processes. In this review we will discuss the fundamental limitations we face when engineering functionality with a monoculture, and the key areas where distributed systems can provide an advantage. We cite evidence from natural systems that support arguments in favor of distributed systems to overcome the limitations of monocultures. Following this we conduct a comprehensive overview of the synthetic communities that have been built to date, and the components that have been used. The potential computational capabilities of communities are discussed, along with some of the applications that these will be useful for. We discuss some of the challenges with building co-cultures, including the problem of competitive exclusion and maintenance of desired community composition. Finally, we assess computational frameworks currently available to aide in the design of microbial communities and identify areas where we lack the necessary tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behzad D. Karkaria
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Neythen J. Treloar
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Chris P. Barnes
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alex J. H. Fedorec
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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60
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Alnahhas RN, Sadeghpour M, Chen Y, Frey AA, Ott W, Josić K, Bennett MR. Majority sensing in synthetic microbial consortia. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3659. [PMID: 32694598 PMCID: PMC7374166 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17475-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
As synthetic biocircuits become more complex, distributing computations within multi-strain microbial consortia becomes increasingly beneficial. However, designing distributed circuits that respond predictably to variation in consortium composition remains a challenge. Here we develop a two-strain gene circuit that senses and responds to which strain is in the majority. This involves a co-repressive system in which each strain produces a signaling molecule that signals the other strain to down-regulate production of its own, orthogonal signaling molecule. This co-repressive consortium links gene expression to ratio of the strains rather than population size. Further, we control the cross-over point for majority via external induction. We elucidate the mechanisms driving these dynamics by developing a mathematical model that captures consortia response as strain fractions and external induction are varied. These results show that simple gene circuits can be used within multicellular synthetic systems to sense and respond to the state of the population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mehdi Sadeghpour
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Mathematics, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ye Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Alexis A Frey
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - William Ott
- Department of Mathematics, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Krešimir Josić
- Department of Mathematics, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Matthew R Bennett
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.
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61
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Sexton JT, Tabor JJ. Multiplexing cell-cell communication. Mol Syst Biol 2020; 16:e9618. [PMID: 32672881 PMCID: PMC7365139 DOI: 10.15252/msb.20209618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The engineering of advanced multicellular behaviors, such as the programmed growth of biofilms or tissues, requires cells to communicate multiple aspects of physiological information. Unfortunately, few cell-cell communication systems have been developed for synthetic biology. Here, we engineer a genetically encoded channel selector device that enables a single communication system to transmit two separate intercellular conversations. Our design comprises multiplexer and demultiplexer sub-circuits constructed from a total of 12 CRISPRi-based transcriptional logic gates, an acyl homoserine lactone-based communication module, and three inducible promoters that enable small molecule control over the conversations. Experimentally parameterized mathematical models of the sub-components predict the steady state and dynamical performance of the full system. Multiplexed cell-cell communication has applications in synthetic development, metabolic engineering, and other areas requiring the coordination of multiple pathways among a community of cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- John T Sexton
- Department of BioengineeringRice UniversityHoustonTXUSA
| | - Jeffrey J Tabor
- Department of BioengineeringRice UniversityHoustonTXUSA
- Department of BioSciencesRice UniversityHoustonTXUSA
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62
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Wang S, Payne GF, Bentley WE. Quorum Sensing Communication: Molecularly Connecting Cells, Their Neighbors, and Even Devices. Annu Rev Chem Biomol Eng 2020; 11:447-468. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-chembioeng-101519-124728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) is a molecular signaling modality that mediates molecular-based cell–cell communication. Prevalent in nature, QS networks provide bacteria with a method to gather information from the environment and make decisions based on the intel. With its ability to autonomously facilitate both inter- and intraspecies gene regulation, this process can be rewired to enable autonomously actuated, but molecularly programmed, genetic control. On the one hand, novel QS-based genetic circuits endow cells with smart functions that can be used in many fields of engineering, and on the other, repurposed QS circuitry promotes communication and aids in the development of synthetic microbial consortia. Furthermore, engineered QS systems can probe and intervene in interkingdom signaling between bacteria and their hosts. Lastly, QS is demonstrated to establish conversation with abiotic materials, especially by taking advantage of biological and even electronically induced assembly processes; such QS-incorporated biohybrid devices offer innovative ways to program cell behavior and biological function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Wang
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, Maryland 20850, USA
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - Gregory F. Payne
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, Maryland 20850, USA
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - William E. Bentley
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, University of Maryland, Rockville, Maryland 20850, USA
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
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63
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Investigating the dynamics of microbial consortia in spatially structured environments. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2418. [PMID: 32415107 PMCID: PMC7228966 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16200-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The spatial organization of microbial communities arises from a complex interplay of biotic and abiotic interactions, and is a major determinant of ecosystem functions. Here we design a microfluidic platform to investigate how the spatial arrangement of microbes impacts gene expression and growth. We elucidate key biochemical parameters that dictate the mapping between spatial positioning and gene expression patterns. We show that distance can establish a low-pass filter to periodic inputs and can enhance the fidelity of information processing. Positive and negative feedback can play disparate roles in the synchronization and robustness of a genetic oscillator distributed between two strains to spatial separation. Quantification of growth and metabolite release in an amino-acid auxotroph community demonstrates that the interaction network and stability of the community are highly sensitive to temporal perturbations and spatial arrangements. In sum, our microfluidic platform can quantify spatiotemporal parameters influencing diffusion-mediated interactions in microbial consortia.
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64
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Flores AD, Choi HG, Martinez R, Onyeabor M, Ayla EZ, Godar A, Machas M, Nielsen DR, Wang X. Catabolic Division of Labor Enhances Production of D-Lactate and Succinate From Glucose-Xylose Mixtures in Engineered Escherichia coli Co-culture Systems. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:329. [PMID: 32432089 PMCID: PMC7214542 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Although biological upgrading of lignocellulosic sugars represents a promising and sustainable route to bioplastics, diverse and variable feedstock compositions (e.g., glucose from the cellulose fraction and xylose from the hemicellulose fraction) present several complex challenges. Specifically, sugar mixtures are often incompletely metabolized due to carbon catabolite repression while composition variability further complicates the optimization of co-utilization rates. Benefiting from several unique features including division of labor, increased metabolic diversity, and modularity, synthetic microbial communities represent a promising platform with the potential to address persistent bioconversion challenges. In this work, two unique and catabolically orthogonal Escherichia coli co-cultures systems were developed and used to enhance the production of D-lactate and succinate (two bioplastic monomers) from glucose-xylose mixtures (100 g L-1 total sugars, 2:1 by mass). In both cases, glucose specialist strains were engineered by deleting xylR (encoding the xylose-specific transcriptional activator, XylR) to disable xylose catabolism, whereas xylose specialist strains were engineered by deleting several key components involved with glucose transport and phosphorylation systems (i.e., ptsI, ptsG, galP, glk) while also increasing xylose utilization by introducing specific xylR mutations. Optimization of initial population ratios between complementary sugar specialists proved a key design variable for each pair of strains. In both cases, ∼91% utilization of total sugars was achieved in mineral salt media by simple batch fermentation. High product titer (88 g L-1 D-lactate, 84 g L-1 succinate) and maximum productivity (2.5 g L-1 h-1 D-lactate, 1.3 g L-1 h-1 succinate) and product yield (0.97 g g-total sugar-1 for D-lactate, 0.95 g g-total sugar-1 for succinate) were also achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D. Flores
- Chemical Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport, and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Hyun G. Choi
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Rodrigo Martinez
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Moses Onyeabor
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - E. Zeynep Ayla
- Chemical Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport, and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Amanda Godar
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Michael Machas
- Chemical Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport, and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - David R. Nielsen
- Chemical Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport, and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Xuan Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
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65
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Wen Z, Ledesma‐Amaro R, Lu M, Jiang Y, Gao S, Jin M, Yang S. Combined evolutionary engineering and genetic manipulation improve low pH tolerance and butanol production in a synthetic microbial
Clostridium
community. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 117:2008-2022. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.27333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Wen
- School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science & Technology Nanjing China
| | | | - Minrui Lu
- School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science & Technology Nanjing China
| | - Yu Jiang
- Huzhou Center of Industrial Biotechnology, Shanghai Institutes of Biological SciencesChinese Academy of Sciences Zhejiang China
- Shanghai TaoYuSheng Biotechnology Co., Ltd. Shanghai China
| | - Shuliang Gao
- Zhejiang Huarui Biotechnology Co., Ltd. Zhejiang China
| | - Mingjie Jin
- School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science & Technology Nanjing China
| | - Sheng Yang
- Huzhou Center of Industrial Biotechnology, Shanghai Institutes of Biological SciencesChinese Academy of Sciences Zhejiang China
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant SciencesChinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai China
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66
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Wu S, Liu J, Liu C, Yang A, Qiao J. Quorum sensing for population-level control of bacteria and potential therapeutic applications. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:1319-1343. [PMID: 31612240 PMCID: PMC11104945 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03326-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS), a microbial cell-to-cell communication process, dynamically regulates a variety of metabolism and physiological activities. In this review, we provide an update on QS applications based on autoinducer molecules including acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs), auto-inducing peptides (AIPs), autoinducer 2 (AI-2) and indole in population-level control of bacteria, and highlight the potential in developing novel clinical therapies. We summarize the development in the combination of various genetic circuits such as genetic oscillators, toggle switches and logic gates with AHL-based QS devices in Gram-negative bacteria. An overview is then offered to the state-of-the-art of much less researched applications of AIP-based QS devices with Gram-positive bacteria, followed by a review of the applications of AI-2 and indole based QS for interspecies communication among microbial communities. Building on these general-purpose QS applications, we highlight the disruptions and manipulations of QS devices as potential clinical therapies for diseases caused by biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance and the phage invasion. The last part of reviewed literature is dedicated to mathematical modelling for QS applications. Finally, the key challenges and future perspectives of QS applications in monoclonal synthetic biology and synthetic ecology are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengbo Wu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Jiaheng Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education (Tianjin University), Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Chunjiang Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Aidong Yang
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK.
| | - Jianjun Qiao
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, 300072, China.
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education (Tianjin University), Tianjin, 300072, China.
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67
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Inducible cell-to-cell signaling for tunable dynamics in microbial communities. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1193. [PMID: 32132536 PMCID: PMC7055273 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15056-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The last decade has seen bacteria at the forefront of biotechnological innovation, with applications including biomolecular computing, living therapeutics, microbiome engineering and microbial factories. These emerging applications are all united by the need to precisely control complex microbial dynamics in spatially extended environments, requiring tools that can bridge the gap between intracellular and population-level coordination. To address this need, we engineer an inducible quorum sensing system which enables precise tunability of bacterial dynamics both at the population and community level. As a proof-of-principle, we demonstrate the advantages of this system when genetically equipped for cargo delivery. In addition, we exploit the absence of cross-talk with respect to the majority of well-characterized quorum sensing systems to demonstrate inducibility of multi-strain communities. More broadly, this work highlights the unexplored potential of remotely inducible quorum sensing systems which, coupled to any gene of interest, may facilitate the translation of circuit designs into applications.
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68
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Conde-Pueyo N, Vidiella B, Sardanyés J, Berdugo M, Maestre FT, de Lorenzo V, Solé R. Synthetic Biology for Terraformation Lessons from Mars, Earth, and the Microbiome. Life (Basel) 2020; 10:E14. [PMID: 32050455 PMCID: PMC7175242 DOI: 10.3390/life10020014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
What is the potential for synthetic biology as a way of engineering, on a large scale, complex ecosystems? Can it be used to change endangered ecological communities and rescue them to prevent their collapse? What are the best strategies for such ecological engineering paths to succeed? Is it possible to create stable, diverse synthetic ecosystems capable of persisting in closed environments? Can synthetic communities be created to thrive on planets different from ours? These and other questions pervade major future developments within synthetic biology. The goal of engineering ecosystems is plagued with all kinds of technological, scientific and ethic problems. In this paper, we consider the requirements for terraformation, i.e., for changing a given environment to make it hospitable to some given class of life forms. Although the standard use of this term involved strategies for planetary terraformation, it has been recently suggested that this approach could be applied to a very different context: ecological communities within our own planet. As discussed here, this includes multiple scales, from the gut microbiome to the entire biosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Conde-Pueyo
- ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Plaça de la Mercè, 10, 08002 Barcelona, Spain; (B.V.); (M.B.)
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, UPF-CSIC, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Blai Vidiella
- ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Plaça de la Mercè, 10, 08002 Barcelona, Spain; (B.V.); (M.B.)
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, UPF-CSIC, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Sardanyés
- Centre de Recerca Matemàtica, Campus UAB Edifici C, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain;
- Barcelona Graduate School of Mathematics (BGSMath), Campus UAB Edifici C, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel Berdugo
- ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Plaça de la Mercè, 10, 08002 Barcelona, Spain; (B.V.); (M.B.)
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, UPF-CSIC, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Departamento de Ecología and Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio “Ramon Margalef”, Universidad de Alicante, Carr. de San Vicente del Raspeig, s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain;
| | - Fernando T. Maestre
- Departamento de Ecología and Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio “Ramon Margalef”, Universidad de Alicante, Carr. de San Vicente del Raspeig, s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain;
| | - Victor de Lorenzo
- Systems and Synthetic Biology Program, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Ricard Solé
- ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Plaça de la Mercè, 10, 08002 Barcelona, Spain; (B.V.); (M.B.)
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, UPF-CSIC, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
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69
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Abstract
Synthetic biology uses living cells as the substrate for performing human-defined computations. Many current implementations of cellular computing are based on the “genetic circuit” metaphor, an approximation of the operation of silicon-based computers. Although this conceptual mapping has been relatively successful, we argue that it fundamentally limits the types of computation that may be engineered inside the cell, and fails to exploit the rich and diverse functionality available in natural living systems. We propose the notion of “cellular supremacy” to focus attention on domains in which biocomputing might offer superior performance over traditional computers. We consider potential pathways toward cellular supremacy, and suggest application areas in which it may be found. Synthetic biology uses cells as its computing substrate, often based on the genetic circuit concept. In this Perspective, the authors argue that existing synthetic biology approaches based on classical models of computation limit the potential of biocomputing, and propose that living organisms have under-exploited capabilities.
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70
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Quorum-sensing based small RNA regulation for dynamic and tuneable gene expression. Biotechnol Lett 2019; 41:1147-1154. [DOI: 10.1007/s10529-019-02719-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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71
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Synthetic microbial consortia for biosynthesis and biodegradation: promises and challenges. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 46:1343-1358. [PMID: 31278525 DOI: 10.1007/s10295-019-02211-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Functional differentiation and metabolite exchange enable microbial consortia to perform complex metabolic tasks and efficiently cycle the nutrients. Inspired by the cooperative relationships in environmental microbial consortia, synthetic microbial consortia have great promise for studying the microbial interactions in nature and more importantly for various engineering applications. However, challenges coexist with promises, and the potential of consortium-based technologies is far from being fully harnessed. Thorough understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of microbial interactions is greatly needed for the rational design and optimization of defined consortia. These knowledge gaps could be potentially filled with the assistance of the ongoing revolution in systems biology and synthetic biology tools. As current fundamental and technical obstacles down the road being removed, we would expect new avenues with synthetic microbial consortia playing important roles in biological and environmental engineering processes such as bioproduction of desired chemicals and fuels, as well as biodegradation of persistent contaminants.
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72
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Wang EX, Liu Y, Ma Q, Dong XT, Ding MZ, Yuan YJ. Synthetic cell–cell communication in a three-species consortium for one-step vitamin C fermentation. Biotechnol Lett 2019; 41:951-961. [DOI: 10.1007/s10529-019-02705-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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73
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Walker KT, Goosens VJ, Das A, Graham AE, Ellis T. Engineered cell-to-cell signalling within growing bacterial cellulose pellicles. Microb Biotechnol 2019; 12:611-619. [PMID: 30461206 PMCID: PMC6559020 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial cellulose is a strong and flexible biomaterial produced at high yields by Acetobacter species and has applications in health care, biotechnology and electronics. Naturally, bacterial cellulose grows as a large unstructured polymer network around the bacteria that produce it, and tools to enable these bacteria to respond to different locations are required to grow more complex structured materials. Here, we introduce engineered cell-to-cell communication into a bacterial cellulose-producing strain of Komagataeibacter rhaeticus to enable different cells to detect their proximity within growing material and trigger differential gene expression in response. Using synthetic biology tools, we engineer Sender and Receiver strains of K. rhaeticus to produce and respond to the diffusible signalling molecule, acyl-homoserine lactone. We demonstrate that communication can occur both within and between growing pellicles and use this in a boundary detection experiment, where spliced and joined pellicles sense and reveal their original boundary. This work sets the basis for synthetic cell-to-cell communication within bacterial cellulose and is an important step forward for pattern formation within engineered living materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth T. Walker
- Department of BioengineeringImperial College LondonLondonSW7 2AZUK
- Centre for Synthetic BiologyImperial College LondonLondonSW7 2AZUK
| | - Vivianne J. Goosens
- Department of BioengineeringImperial College LondonLondonSW7 2AZUK
- Centre for Synthetic BiologyImperial College LondonLondonSW7 2AZUK
| | - Akashaditya Das
- Department of BioengineeringImperial College LondonLondonSW7 2AZUK
| | - Alicia E. Graham
- Centre for Synthetic BiologyImperial College LondonLondonSW7 2AZUK
| | - Tom Ellis
- Department of BioengineeringImperial College LondonLondonSW7 2AZUK
- Centre for Synthetic BiologyImperial College LondonLondonSW7 2AZUK
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74
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Detection of inorganic ions and organic molecules with cell-free biosensing systems. J Biotechnol 2019; 300:78-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2019.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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75
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Silva KPT, Boedicker JQ. A neural network model predicts community-level signaling states in a diverse microbial community. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1007166. [PMID: 31233492 PMCID: PMC6611639 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Signal crosstalk within biological communication networks is common, and such crosstalk can have unexpected consequences for decision making in heterogeneous communities of cells. Here we examined crosstalk within a bacterial community composed of five strains of Bacillus subtilis, with each strain producing a variant of the quorum sensing peptide ComX. In isolation, each strain produced one variant of the ComX signal to induce expression of genes associated with bacterial competence. When strains were combined, a mixture of ComX variants was produced resulting in variable levels of gene expression. To examine gene regulation in mixed communities, we implemented a neural network model. Experimental quantification of asymmetric crosstalk between pairs of strains parametrized the model, enabling the accurate prediction of activity within the full five-strain network. Unlike the single strain system in which quorum sensing activated upon exceeding a threshold concentration of the signal, crosstalk within the five-strain community resulted in multiple community-level quorum sensing states, each with a unique combination of quorum sensing activation among the five strains. Quorum sensing activity of the strains within the community was influenced by the combination and ratio of strains as well as community dynamics. The community-level signaling state was altered through an external signal perturbation, and the output state depended on the timing of the perturbation. Given the ubiquity of signal crosstalk in diverse microbial communities, the application of such neural network models will increase accuracy of predicting activity within microbial consortia and enable new strategies for control and design of bacterial signaling networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalinga Pavan T. Silva
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - James Q. Boedicker
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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76
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Sivasankar P, Poongodi S, Seedevi P, Sivakumar M, Murugan T, Loganathan S. Bioremediation of wastewater through a quorum sensing triggered MFC: A sustainable measure for waste to energy concept. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2019; 237:84-93. [PMID: 30780057 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.01.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Revised: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
A mission for fast advancement has constrained us to unpredictably tap various natural assets. The reckless utilisation of fossil fuels led unmanageable wastes which have greatly affected our health and environment. Endeavours to address these difficulties have conveyed to the frontal area certain creative natural solutions particularly the utilisation of microbial digestion systems. In the previous two decades, the microbial fuel cell (MFC) innovation has caught the consideration of the researchers. The MFCs is a kind of bio-electrochemical framework with novel highlights, for example, power production, wastewater treatment, and biosensor applications. Lately, dynamic patterns in MFC inquire about on its synthetic, electrochemical, and microbiological perspectives have brought about its observable applications. The MFCs have begun as a logical interest, and in numerous regards, these remaining parts to be the situation. This is especially a result of the multidimensional uses of this eco-accommodating innovation. The innovation relies upon the electroactive microorganisms, prominently known as exoelectrogens. In the first place, it is the main innovation that can create energy out of waste, without the contribution of outer/extra energy. Modification of electrodes with nanomaterials, for example, gold nanoparticles and iron oxide nanoparticles or pretreatment techniques, for example, sonication and autoclave disinfection have indicated promising outcomes in improving MFC execution for power generation and wastewater treatment. The MFC innovation has been likewise explored for the remediation of different heavy metals and hazardous components, and to recognize the poisonous components in wastewater. What's more, the MFCs can be adjusted into microbial electrolysis cells to produce hydrogen energy from different natural sources. This article gives a thorough and cutting-edge appraisal of the novel magnitudes of the MFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Palaniappan Sivasankar
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Life Sciences, Center for New and Renewable Energy Studies (CNRES), Periyar University, Periyar Palkalai Nagar, Salem 636 011, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Subramaniam Poongodi
- Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai 608 502, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Palaniappan Seedevi
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Life Sciences, Center for New and Renewable Energy Studies (CNRES), Periyar University, Periyar Palkalai Nagar, Salem 636 011, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Murugesan Sivakumar
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Life Sciences, Center for New and Renewable Energy Studies (CNRES), Periyar University, Periyar Palkalai Nagar, Salem 636 011, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Tamilselvi Murugan
- Department of Zoology, Government Arts College, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641018, India
| | - Sivakumar Loganathan
- Department of Environmental Science, School of Life Sciences, Center for New and Renewable Energy Studies (CNRES), Periyar University, Periyar Palkalai Nagar, Salem 636 011, Tamil Nadu, India.
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77
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Tekel SJ, Smith CL, Lopez B, Mani A, Connot C, Livingstone X, Haynes KA. Engineered Orthogonal Quorum Sensing Systems for Synthetic Gene Regulation in Escherichia coli. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:80. [PMID: 31058147 PMCID: PMC6478669 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene regulators that are controlled by membrane-permeable compounds called homoserine lactones (HSLs) have become popular tools for building synthetic gene networks that coordinate behaviors across populations of engineered bacteria. Synthetic HSL-signaling systems are derived from natural DNA and protein elements from microbial quorum signaling pathways. Crosstalk, where a single HSL can activate multiple regulators, can lead to faults in networks composed of parallel signaling pathways. Here, we report an investigation of quorum sensing components to identify synthetic pathways that exhibit little to no crosstalk in liquid and solid cultures. In previous work, we characterized the response of a single regulator (LuxR) to 10 distinct HSL-synthase enzymes. Our current study determined the responses of five different regulators (LuxR, LasR, TraR, BjaR, and AubR) to the same set of synthases. We identified two sets of orthogonal synthase-regulator pairs (BjaI/BjaR + EsaI/TraR and LasI/LasR + EsaI/TraR) that show little to no crosstalk when they are expressed in Escherichia coli BL21. These results expand the toolbox of characterized components for engineering microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan J Tekel
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Christina L Smith
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Brianna Lopez
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Amber Mani
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Christopher Connot
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Xylaan Livingstone
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Karmella A Haynes
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
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78
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McCarty NS, Ledesma-Amaro R. Synthetic Biology Tools to Engineer Microbial Communities for Biotechnology. Trends Biotechnol 2019; 37:181-197. [PMID: 30497870 PMCID: PMC6340809 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 235] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Microbial consortia have been used in biotechnology processes, including fermentation, waste treatment, and agriculture, for millennia. Today, synthetic biologists are increasingly engineering microbial consortia for diverse applications, including the bioproduction of medicines, biofuels, and biomaterials from inexpensive carbon sources. An improved understanding of natural microbial ecosystems, and the development of new tools to construct synthetic consortia and program their behaviors, will vastly expand the functions that can be performed by communities of interacting microorganisms. Here, we review recent advancements in synthetic biology tools and approaches to engineer synthetic microbial consortia, discuss ongoing and emerging efforts to apply consortia for various biotechnological applications, and suggest future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas S. McCarty
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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79
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Gilbert C, Ellis T. Biological Engineered Living Materials: Growing Functional Materials with Genetically Programmable Properties. ACS Synth Biol 2019; 8:1-15. [PMID: 30576101 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.8b00423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Natural biological materials exhibit remarkable properties: self-assembly from simple raw materials, precise control of morphology, diverse physical and chemical properties, self-repair, and the ability to sense-and-respond to environmental stimuli. Despite having found numerous uses in human industry and society, the utility of natural biological materials is limited. But, could it be possible to genetically program microbes to create entirely new and useful biological materials? At the intersection between microbiology, material science, and synthetic biology, the emerging field of biological engineered living materials (ELMs) aims to answer this question. Here we review recent efforts to program cells to produce living materials with novel functional properties, focusing on microbial systems that can be engineered to grow materials and on new genetic circuits for pattern formation that could be used to produce the more complex systems of the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlie Gilbert
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Tom Ellis
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
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80
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Tei M, Perkins ML, Hsia J, Arcak M, Arkin AP. Designing Spatially Distributed Gene Regulatory Networks To Elicit Contrasting Patterns. ACS Synth Biol 2019; 8:119-126. [PMID: 30540439 PMCID: PMC6343107 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.8b00377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Pattern formation and differential interactions are important for microbial consortia to divide labor and perform complex functions. To obtain further insight into such interactions, we present a computational method for simulating physically separated microbial colonies, each implementing different gene regulatory networks. We validate our theory by experimentally demonstrating control over gene expression patterns in a diffusion-mediated lateral inhibition circuit. We highlight the importance of spatial arrangement as a control knob for modulating system behavior. Our systematic approach provides a foundation for future applications that require understanding and engineering of multistrain microbial communities for sophisticated, synergistic functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mika Tei
- The
UC Berkeley−UCSF Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California − Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94704, United States
| | - Melinda Liu Perkins
- Department
of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California − Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94704, United States
| | - Justin Hsia
- Department
of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California − Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94704, United States
| | - Murat Arcak
- Department
of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California − Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94704, United States
| | - Adam Paul Arkin
- Department
of Bioengineering, University of California
− Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94704, United States
- Environmental
Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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81
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Dubuc E, Pieters PA, van der Linden AJ, van Hest JC, Huck WT, de Greef TF. Cell-free microcompartmentalised transcription-translation for the prototyping of synthetic communication networks. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2018; 58:72-80. [PMID: 30594098 PMCID: PMC6723619 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Recent efforts in synthetic biology have shown the possibility of engineering distributed functions in populations of living cells, which requires the development of highly orthogonal, genetically encoded communication pathways. Cell-free transcription-translation (TXTL) reactions encapsulated in microcompartments enable prototyping of molecular communication channels and their integration into engineered genetic circuits by mimicking critical cell features, such as gene expression, cell size, and cell individuality within a community. In this review, we discuss the uses of cell-free transcription-translation reactions for the development of synthetic genetic circuits, with a special focus on the use of microcompartments supporting this reaction. We highlight several studies where molecular communication between non-living microcompartments and living cells have been successfully engineered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilien Dubuc
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Computational Biology Group, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Pascal A Pieters
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Computational Biology Group, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Ardjan J van der Linden
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Computational Biology Group, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Cm van Hest
- Department of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Wilhelm Ts Huck
- Department of Physical Organic Chemistry, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 HP, The Netherlands
| | - Tom Fa de Greef
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Computational Biology Group, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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82
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Billerbeck S, Brisbois J, Agmon N, Jimenez M, Temple J, Shen M, Boeke JD, Cornish VW. A scalable peptide-GPCR language for engineering multicellular communication. Nat Commun 2018; 9:5057. [PMID: 30498215 PMCID: PMC6265332 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07610-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Engineering multicellularity is one of the next breakthroughs for Synthetic Biology. A key bottleneck to building multicellular systems is the lack of a scalable signaling language with a large number of interfaces that can be used simultaneously. Here, we present a modular, scalable, intercellular signaling language in yeast based on fungal mating peptide/G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) pairs harnessed from nature. First, through genome-mining, we assemble 32 functional peptide-GPCR signaling interfaces with a range of dose-response characteristics. Next, we demonstrate that these interfaces can be combined into two-cell communication links, which serve as assembly units for higher-order communication topologies. Finally, we show 56 functional, two-cell links, which we use to assemble three- to six-member communication topologies and a three-member interdependent community. Importantly, our peptide-GPCR language is scalable and tunable by genetic encoding, requires minimal component engineering, and should be massively scalable by further application of our genome mining pipeline or directed evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Billerbeck
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10027, USA
| | - James Brisbois
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10027, USA
| | - Neta Agmon
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, 430 East 29th Street, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Miguel Jimenez
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10027, USA
- The Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, USA
| | - Jasmine Temple
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, 430 East 29th Street, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Michael Shen
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, 430 East 29th Street, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Jef D Boeke
- Institute for Systems Genetics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health, 430 East 29th Street, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Virginia W Cornish
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10027, USA.
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10032, USA.
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83
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Meyer AJ, Segall-Shapiro TH, Glassey E, Zhang J, Voigt CA. Escherichia coli “Marionette” strains with 12 highly optimized small-molecule sensors. Nat Chem Biol 2018; 15:196-204. [DOI: 10.1038/s41589-018-0168-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 226] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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84
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Daer R, Barrett CM, Melendez EL, Wu J, Tekel SJ, Xu J, Dennison B, Muller R, Haynes KA. Characterization of diverse homoserine lactone synthases in Escherichia coli. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202294. [PMID: 30138364 PMCID: PMC6107141 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Quorum sensing networks have been identified in over one hundred bacterial species to date. A subset of these networks regulate group behaviors, such as bioluminescence, virulence, and biofilm formation, by sending and receiving small molecules called homoserine lactones (HSLs). Bioengineers have incorporated quorum sensing pathways into genetic circuits to connect logical operations. However, the development of higher-order genetic circuitry is inhibited by crosstalk, in which one quorum sensing network responds to HSLs produced by a different network. Here, we report the construction and characterization of a library of ten synthases including some that are expected to produce HSLs that are incompatible with the Lux pathway, and therefore show no crosstalk. We demonstrated their function in a common lab chassis, Escherichia coli BL21, and in two contexts, liquid and solid agar cultures, using decoupled Sender and Receiver pathways. We observed weak or strong stimulation of a Lux receiver by longer-chain or shorter-chain HSL-generating Senders, respectively. We also considered the under-investigated risk of unintentional release of incompletely deactivated HSLs in biological waste. We found that HSL-enriched media treated with bleach were still bioactive, while autoclaving deactivates LuxR induction. This work represents the most extensive comparison of quorum signaling synthases to date and greatly expands the bacterial signaling toolkit while recommending practices for disposal based on empirical, quantitative evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- René Daer
- Arizona State University, School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
| | - Cassandra M. Barrett
- Arizona State University, School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
| | - Ernesto Luna Melendez
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
| | - Jiaqi Wu
- School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
| | - Stefan J. Tekel
- Arizona State University, School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
| | - Jimmy Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
- School of Engineering of Matter, Transport, and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
| | - Brady Dennison
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
| | - Ryan Muller
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
| | - Karmella A. Haynes
- Arizona State University, School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Tempe, AZ, United States of America
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85
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Tools for engineering coordinated system behaviour in synthetic microbial consortia. Nat Commun 2018; 9:2677. [PMID: 29992956 PMCID: PMC6041260 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05046-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Advancing synthetic biology to the multicellular level requires the development of multiple cell-to-cell communication channels that propagate information with minimal signal interference. The development of quorum-sensing devices, the cornerstone technology for building microbial communities with coordinated system behaviour, has largely focused on cognate acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL)/transcription factor pairs, while the use of non-cognate pairs as a design feature has received limited attention. Here, we demonstrate a large library of AHL-receiver devices, with all cognate and non-cognate chemical signal interactions quantified, and we develop a software tool that automatically selects orthogonal communication channels. We use this approach to identify up to four orthogonal channels in silico, and experimentally demonstrate the simultaneous use of three channels in co-culture. The development of multiple non-interfering cell-to-cell communication channels is an enabling step that facilitates the design of synthetic consortia for applications including distributed bio-computation, increased bioprocess efficiency, cell specialisation and spatial organisation. The engineering of synthetic microbial communities necessitates the use of synthetic, orthogonal cell-to-cell communication channels. Here the authors present a library of characterised AHL-receiver devices and a software tool for the automatic identification of non-interfering chemical communication channels.
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86
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Ozdemir T, Fedorec AJ, Danino T, Barnes CP. Synthetic Biology and Engineered Live Biotherapeutics: Toward Increasing System Complexity. Cell Syst 2018; 7:5-16. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2018.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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87
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Zúñiga A, Fuente FDL, Federici F, Lionne C, Bônnet J, de Lorenzo V, González B. An Engineered Device for Indoleacetic Acid Production under Quorum Sensing Signals Enables Cupriavidus pinatubonensis JMP134 To Stimulate Plant Growth. ACS Synth Biol 2018; 7:1519-1527. [PMID: 29746094 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.8b00002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The environmental effects of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have encouraged the quest for new strategies to increase crop productivity with minimal impacts on the natural medium. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can contribute to this endeavor by improving fitness through better nutrition acquisition and stress tolerance. Using the neutral (non PGPR) rhizobacterium Cupriavidus pinatubonensis JMP134 as the host, we engineered a regulatory forward loop that triggered the synthesis of the phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in a manner dependent on quorum sensing (QS) signals. Implementation of the device in JMP134 yielded synthesis of IAA in an autoregulated manner, improving the growth of the roots of inoculated Arabidopsis thaliana. These results not only demonstrated the value of the designed genetic module, but also validated C. pinatubonensis JMP134 as a suitable vehicle for agricultural applications, as it is amenable to genetic manipulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Zúñiga
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez—Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability, Santiago de Chile, 2640, Chile
- Centre de Biochimie Structurale, INSERM U1054, CNRS UMR5048, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Francisco de la Fuente
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez—Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability, Santiago de Chile, 2640, Chile
- R2B Catalyst, Research Center, Andrés Bello 2299, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernán Federici
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Fondo de Desarrollo de Áreas Prioritarias, Center for Genome Regulation, Millennium Institute for Integrative Systems and Synthetic Biology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Corinne Lionne
- Centre de Biochimie Structurale, INSERM U1054, CNRS UMR5048, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jérome Bônnet
- Centre de Biochimie Structurale, INSERM U1054, CNRS UMR5048, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Bernardo González
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez—Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability, Santiago de Chile, 2640, Chile
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88
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Majumdar S, Pal S. Information transmission in microbial and fungal communication: from classical to quantum. J Cell Commun Signal 2018; 12:491-502. [PMID: 29476316 PMCID: PMC5910326 DOI: 10.1007/s12079-018-0462-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2018] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbes have their own communication systems. Secretion and reception of chemical signaling molecules and ion-channels mediated electrical signaling mechanism are yet observed two special ways of information transmission in microbial community. In this article, we address the aspects of various crucial machineries which set the backbone of microbial cell-to-cell communication process such as quorum sensing mechanism (bacterial and fungal), quorum sensing regulated biofilm formation, gene expression, virulence, swarming, quorum quenching, role of noise in quorum sensing, mathematical models (therapy model, evolutionary model, molecular mechanism model and many more), synthetic bacterial communication, bacterial ion-channels, bacterial nanowires and electrical communication. In particular, we highlight bacterial collective behavior with classical and quantum mechanical approaches (including quantum information). Moreover, we shed a new light to introduce the concept of quantum synthetic biology and possible cellular quantum Turing test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarangam Majumdar
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Scienze Informatiche e Matematica, Università degli Studi di L’ Aquila, Via Vetoio – Loc. Coppito, 67010 L’ Aquila, Italy
| | - Sukla Pal
- Theoretical Physics Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380009 India
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89
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Halleran AD, Swaminathan A, Murray RM. Single Day Construction of Multigene Circuits with 3G Assembly. ACS Synth Biol 2018; 7:1477-1480. [PMID: 29715010 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.8b00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The ability to rapidly design, build, and test prototypes is of key importance to every engineering discipline. DNA assembly often serves as a rate limiting step of the prototyping cycle for synthetic biology. Recently developed DNA assembly methods such as isothermal assembly and type IIS restriction enzyme systems take different approaches to accelerate DNA construction. We introduce a hybrid method, Golden Gate-Gibson (3G), that takes advantage of modular part libraries introduced by type IIS restriction enzyme systems and isothermal assembly's ability to build large DNA constructs in single pot reactions. Our method is highly efficient and rapid, facilitating construction of entire multigene circuits in a single day. Additionally, 3G allows generation of variant libraries enabling efficient screening of different possible circuit constructions. We characterize the efficiency and accuracy of 3G assembly for various construct sizes, and demonstrate 3G by characterizing variants of an inducible cell-lysis circuit.
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90
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Biarnes-Carrera M, Lee CK, Nihira T, Breitling R, Takano E. Orthogonal Regulatory Circuits for Escherichia coli Based on the γ-Butyrolactone System of Streptomyces coelicolor. ACS Synth Biol 2018; 7:1043-1055. [PMID: 29510026 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.7b00425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Chemically inducible transcription factors are widely used to control gene expression of synthetic devices. The bacterial quorum sensing system is a popular tool to achieve such control. However, different quorum sensing systems have been found to cross-talk, both between themselves and with the hosts of these devices, and they are leaky by nature. Here we evaluate the potential use of the γ-butyrolactone system from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) M145 as a complementary regulatory circuit. First, two additional genes responsible for the biosynthesis of γ-butyrolactones were identified in S. coelicolor M145 and then expressed in E. coli BL21 under various experimental conditions. Second, the γ-butyrolactone receptor ScbR was optimized for expression in E. coli BL21. Finally, signal and promoter crosstalk between the γ-butyrolactone system from S. coelicolor and quorum sensing systems from Vibrio fischeri and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated. The results show that the γ-butyrolactone system does not crosstalk with the quorum sensing systems and can be used to generate orthogonal synthetic circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Biarnes-Carrera
- Manchester Centre for Synthetic Biology of Fine and Speciality Chemicals (SYNBIOCHEM), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Chang-Kwon Lee
- International Center for Biotechnology, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Takuya Nihira
- International Center for Biotechnology, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Mahidol University-Osaka University Collaborative Research Center for Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama VI Rd., Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Rainer Breitling
- Manchester Centre for Synthetic Biology of Fine and Speciality Chemicals (SYNBIOCHEM), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Eriko Takano
- Manchester Centre for Synthetic Biology of Fine and Speciality Chemicals (SYNBIOCHEM), Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
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91
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Abstract
The ability of bacterial cells to adjust their gene expression program in response to environmental perturbation is often critical for their survival. Recent experimental advances allowing us to quantitatively record gene expression dynamics in single cells and in populations coupled with mathematical modeling enable mechanistic understanding on how these responses are shaped by the underlying regulatory networks. Here, we review how the combination of local and global factors affect dynamical responses of gene regulatory networks. Our goal is to discuss the general principles that allow extrapolation from a few model bacteria to less understood microbes. We emphasize that, in addition to well-studied effects of network architecture, network dynamics are shaped by global pleiotropic effects and cell physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Shis
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA;
| | - Matthew R Bennett
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA; .,Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
| | - Oleg A Igoshin
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA; .,Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA.,Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA
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92
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Bittihn P, Din MO, Tsimring LS, Hasty J. Rational engineering of synthetic microbial systems: from single cells to consortia. Curr Opin Microbiol 2018; 45:92-99. [PMID: 29574330 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2018.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
One promise of synthetic biology is to provide solutions for biomedical and industrial problems by rational design of added functionality in living systems. Microbes are at the forefront of this biological engineering endeavor due to their general ease of handling and their relevance in many potential applications from fermentation to therapeutics. In recent years, the field has witnessed an explosion of novel regulatory tools, from synthetic orthogonal transcription factors to posttranslational mechanisms for increased control over the behavior of synthetic circuits. Tool development has been paralleled by the discovery of principles that enable increased modularity and the management of host-circuit interactions. Engineered cell-to-cell communication bridges the scales from intracellular to population-level coordination. These developments facilitate the translation of more than a decade of circuit design into applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Bittihn
- BioCircuits Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - M Omar Din
- BioCircuits Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Lev S Tsimring
- BioCircuits Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jeff Hasty
- BioCircuits Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Molecular Biology Section, Division of Biological Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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93
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Boehm CR, Grant PK, Haseloff J. Programmed hierarchical patterning of bacterial populations. Nat Commun 2018; 9:776. [PMID: 29472537 PMCID: PMC5823926 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03069-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Modern genetic tools allow the dissection and emulation of fundamental mechanisms shaping morphogenesis in multicellular organisms. Several synthetic genetic circuits for control of multicellular patterning have been reported to date. However, hierarchical induction of gene expression domains has received little attention from synthetic biologists, despite its importance in biological self-organization. Here we report a synthetic genetic system implementing population-based AND-logic for programmed autonomous induction of bacterial gene expression domains. We develop a ratiometric assay for bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase activity and use it to systematically characterize different intact and split enzyme variants. We then utilize the best-performing variant to build a three-color patterning system responsive to two different homoserine lactones. We validate the AND gate-like behavior of this system both in cell suspension and in surface culture. Finally, we use the synthetic circuit in a membrane-based spatial assay to demonstrate programmed hierarchical patterning of gene expression across bacterial populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian R Boehm
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Paul K Grant
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
- Microsoft Research, 21 Station Road, Cambridge, CB1 2FB, UK
| | - Jim Haseloff
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK.
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94
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Halleran AD, Murray RM. Cell-Free and In Vivo Characterization of Lux, Las, and Rpa Quorum Activation Systems in E. coli. ACS Synth Biol 2018; 7:752-755. [PMID: 29120612 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.7b00376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic biologists have turned toward quorum systems as a path for building sophisticated microbial consortia that exhibit group decision making. Currently, however, even the most complex consortium circuits rely on only one or two quorum sensing systems, greatly restricting the available design space. High-throughput characterization of available quorum sensing systems is useful for finding compatible sets of systems that are suitable for a defined circuit architecture. Recently, cell-free systems have gained popularity as a test-bed for rapid prototyping of genetic circuitry. We take advantage of the transcription-translation cell-free system to characterize three commonly used Lux-type quorum activators, Lux, Las, and Rpa. We then compare the cell-free characterization to results obtained in vivo. We find significant genetic crosstalk in both the Las and Rpa systems and substantial signal crosstalk in Lux activation. We show that cell-free characterization predicts crosstalk observed in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D. Halleran
- Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
| | - Richard M. Murray
- Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
- Control and Dynamical Systems, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States
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95
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张 晓. The Dynamical Modeling Studies of the Quorum Sensing Mechanism in Bacteria. Biophysics (Nagoya-shi) 2018. [DOI: 10.12677/biphy.2018.62002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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96
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The spatiotemporal system dynamics of acquired resistance in an engineered microecology. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16071. [PMID: 29167517 PMCID: PMC5700104 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16176-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Great strides have been made in the understanding of complex networks; however, our understanding of natural microecologies is limited. Modelling of complex natural ecological systems has allowed for new findings, but these models typically ignore the constant evolution of species. Due to the complexity of natural systems, unanticipated interactions may lead to erroneous conclusions concerning the role of specific molecular components. To address this, we use a synthetic system to understand the spatiotemporal dynamics of growth and to study acquired resistance in vivo. Our system differs from earlier synthetic systems in that it focuses on the evolution of a microecology from a killer-prey relationship to coexistence using two different non-motile Escherichia coli strains. Using empirical data, we developed the first ecological model emphasising the concept of the constant evolution of species, where the survival of the prey species is dependent on location (distance from the killer) or the evolution of resistance. Our simple model, when expanded to complex microecological association studies under varied spatial and nutrient backgrounds may help to understand the complex relationships between multiple species in intricate natural ecological networks. This type of microecological study has become increasingly important, especially with the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
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97
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Synthetic microbial consortia enable rapid assembly of pure translation machinery. Nat Chem Biol 2017; 14:29-35. [DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.2514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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98
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Abstract
Background Self-sustained oscillations are a ubiquitous and vital phenomenon in living systems. From primitive single-cellular bacteria to the most sophisticated organisms, periodicities have been observed in a broad spectrum of biological processes such as neuron firing, heart beats, cell cycles, circadian rhythms, etc. Defects in these oscillators can cause diseases from insomnia to cancer. Elucidating their fundamental mechanisms is of great significance to diseases, and yet challenging, due to the complexity and diversity of these oscillators. Results Approaches in quantitative systems biology and synthetic biology have been most effective by simplifying the systems to contain only the most essential regulators. Here, we will review major progress that has been made in understanding biological oscillators using these approaches. The quantitative systems biology approach allows for identification of the essential components of an oscillator in an endogenous system. The synthetic biology approach makes use of the knowledge to design the simplest, de novo oscillators in both live cells and cell-free systems. These synthetic oscillators are tractable to further detailed analysis and manipulations. Conclusion With the recent development of biological and computational tools, both approaches have made significant achievements.
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Dvořák P, Nikel PI, Damborský J, de Lorenzo V. Bioremediation 3 . 0 : Engineering pollutant-removing bacteria in the times of systemic biology. Biotechnol Adv 2017; 35:845-866. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2017.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Martínez-García E, de Lorenzo V. Molecular tools and emerging strategies for deep genetic/genomic refactoring of Pseudomonas. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2017; 47:120-132. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2017.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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