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Tien SM, Hsu CY, Chen BS. Engineering Bacteria to Search for Specific Concentrations of Molecules by a Systematic Synthetic Biology Design Method. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0152146. [PMID: 27096615 PMCID: PMC4838244 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria navigate environments full of various chemicals to seek favorable places for survival by controlling the flagella’s rotation using a complicated signal transduction pathway. By influencing the pathway, bacteria can be engineered to search for specific molecules, which has great potential for application to biomedicine and bioremediation. In this study, genetic circuits were constructed to make bacteria search for a specific molecule at particular concentrations in their environment through a synthetic biology method. In addition, by replacing the “brake component” in the synthetic circuit with some specific sensitivities, the bacteria can be engineered to locate areas containing specific concentrations of the molecule. Measured by the swarm assay qualitatively and microfluidic techniques quantitatively, the characteristics of each “brake component” were identified and represented by a mathematical model. Furthermore, we established another mathematical model to anticipate the characteristics of the “brake component”. Based on this model, an abundant component library can be established to provide adequate component selection for different searching conditions without identifying all components individually. Finally, a systematic design procedure was proposed. Following this systematic procedure, one can design a genetic circuit for bacteria to rapidly search for and locate different concentrations of particular molecules by selecting the most adequate “brake component” in the library. Moreover, following simple procedures, one can also establish an exclusive component library suitable for other cultivated environments, promoter systems, or bacterial strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin-Ming Tien
- Lab of Control and Systems Biology, Department of Electrical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Yuan Hsu
- Lab of Control and Systems Biology, Department of Electrical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Bor-Sen Chen
- Lab of Control and Systems Biology, Department of Electrical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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Manzoni R, Urrios A, Velazquez-Garcia S, de Nadal E, Posas F. Synthetic biology: insights into biological computation. Integr Biol (Camb) 2016; 8:518-32. [DOI: 10.1039/c5ib00274e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic biology attempts to rationally engineer biological systems in order to perform desired functions. Our increasing understanding of biological systems guides this rational design, while the huge background in electronics for building circuits defines the methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romilde Manzoni
- Cell Signaling Research Group
- Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)
- E-08003 Barcelona
- Spain
| | - Arturo Urrios
- Cell Signaling Research Group
- Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)
- E-08003 Barcelona
- Spain
| | - Silvia Velazquez-Garcia
- Cell Signaling Research Group
- Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)
- E-08003 Barcelona
- Spain
| | - Eulàlia de Nadal
- Cell Signaling Research Group
- Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)
- E-08003 Barcelona
- Spain
| | - Francesc Posas
- Cell Signaling Research Group
- Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF)
- E-08003 Barcelona
- Spain
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Castillo-Hair SM, Igoshin OA, Tabor JJ. How to train your microbe: methods for dynamically characterizing gene networks. Curr Opin Microbiol 2015; 24:113-23. [PMID: 25677419 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2015.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Revised: 01/06/2015] [Accepted: 01/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Gene networks regulate biological processes dynamically. However, researchers have largely relied upon static perturbations, such as growth media variations and gene knockouts, to elucidate gene network structure and function. Thus, much of the regulation on the path from DNA to phenotype remains poorly understood. Recent studies have utilized improved genetic tools, hardware, and computational control strategies to generate precise temporal perturbations outside and inside of live cells. These experiments have, in turn, provided new insights into the organizing principles of biology. Here, we introduce the major classes of dynamical perturbations that can be used to study gene networks, and discuss technologies available for creating them in a wide range of microbial pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Oleg A Igoshin
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, United States; Department of Biosciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, United States; Center for Theoretical Biophysics, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, United States
| | - Jeffrey J Tabor
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, United States; Department of Biosciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, United States.
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Goers L, Freemont P, Polizzi KM. Co-culture systems and technologies: taking synthetic biology to the next level. J R Soc Interface 2014; 11:rsif.2014.0065. [PMID: 24829281 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2014.0065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 347] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Co-culture techniques find myriad applications in biology for studying natural or synthetic interactions between cell populations. Such techniques are of great importance in synthetic biology, as multi-species cell consortia and other natural or synthetic ecology systems are widely seen to hold enormous potential for foundational research as well as novel industrial, medical and environmental applications with many proof-of-principle studies in recent years. What is needed for co-cultures to fulfil their potential? Cell-cell interactions in co-cultures are strongly influenced by the extracellular environment, which is determined by the experimental set-up, which therefore needs to be given careful consideration. An overview of existing experimental and theoretical co-culture set-ups in synthetic biology and adjacent fields is given here, and challenges and opportunities involved in such experiments are discussed. Greater focus on foundational technology developments for co-cultures is needed for many synthetic biology systems to realize their potential in both applications and answering biological questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Goers
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Paul Freemont
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Karen M Polizzi
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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Kelwick R, MacDonald JT, Webb AJ, Freemont P. Developments in the tools and methodologies of synthetic biology. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2014; 2:60. [PMID: 25505788 PMCID: PMC4244866 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2014.00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology is principally concerned with the rational design and engineering of biologically based parts, devices, or systems. However, biological systems are generally complex and unpredictable, and are therefore, intrinsically difficult to engineer. In order to address these fundamental challenges, synthetic biology is aiming to unify a “body of knowledge” from several foundational scientific fields, within the context of a set of engineering principles. This shift in perspective is enabling synthetic biologists to address complexity, such that robust biological systems can be designed, assembled, and tested as part of a biological design cycle. The design cycle takes a forward-design approach in which a biological system is specified, modeled, analyzed, assembled, and its functionality tested. At each stage of the design cycle, an expanding repertoire of tools is being developed. In this review, we highlight several of these tools in terms of their applications and benefits to the synthetic biology community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Kelwick
- Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London , London , UK ; Department of Medicine, Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - James T MacDonald
- Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London , London , UK ; Department of Medicine, Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - Alexander J Webb
- Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London , London , UK ; Department of Medicine, Imperial College London , London , UK
| | - Paul Freemont
- Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London , London , UK ; Department of Medicine, Imperial College London , London , UK
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Huang H, Densmore D. Integration of microfluidics into the synthetic biology design flow. LAB ON A CHIP 2014; 14:3459-74. [PMID: 25012162 DOI: 10.1039/c4lc00509k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
One goal of synthetic biology is to design and build genetic circuits in living cells for a range of applications. Major challenges in these efforts include increasing the scalability and robustness of engineered biological systems and streamlining and automating the synthetic biology workflow of specification-design-assembly-verification. We present here a summary of the advances in microfluidic technology, particularly microfluidic large scale integration, that can be used to address the challenges facing each step of the synthetic biology workflow. Microfluidic technologies allow precise control over the flow of biological content within microscale devices, and thus may provide more reliable and scalable construction of synthetic biological systems. The integration of microfluidics and synthetic biology has the capability to produce rapid prototyping platforms for characterization of genetic devices, testing of biotherapeutics, and development of biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyao Huang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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Binder D, Grünberger A, Loeschcke A, Probst C, Bier C, Pietruszka J, Wiechert W, Kohlheyer D, Jaeger KE, Drepper T. Light-responsive control of bacterial gene expression: precise triggering of thelacpromoter activity using photocaged IPTG. Integr Biol (Camb) 2014; 6:755-65. [DOI: 10.1039/c4ib00027g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
An optogenetic tool was established allowing for precise, gradual and homogeneous light-triggering oflac-based gene expression in a non-invasive fashion.
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Abstract
Elucidation of the heterogeneity of cells is a challenging task due to the lack of efficient analytical tools to make measurements with single-cell resolution. Microfluidics has emerged as a powerful platform for single-cell analysis with the ability to manipulate small volume and integrate multiple sample preparation steps into one device. In this review, we discuss the differentiating advantages of microfluidic platforms that have been demonstrated for single-cell protein analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanli Liu
- 1Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA, USA
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Schaerli Y, Isalan M. Building synthetic gene circuits from combinatorial libraries: screening and selection strategies. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2013; 9:1559-67. [DOI: 10.1039/c2mb25483b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Benedetti IM, de Lorenzo V, Silva-Rocha R. Quantitative, non-disruptive monitoring of transcription in single cells with a broad-host range GFP-luxCDABE dual reporter system. PLoS One 2012; 7:e52000. [PMID: 23284849 PMCID: PMC3532404 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2012] [Accepted: 11/09/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A dual promoter probe system based on a tandem bi-cistronic GFP-luxCDABE reporter cassette is described and implemented. This system is assembled in two synthetic, modular, broad-host range plasmids based on pBBR1 and RK2 origins of replication, allowing its utilization in an extensive number of gram-negative bacteria. We analyze the performance of this dual cassette in two hosts, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida, by examining the induction properties of the lacI(q)-Ptrc expression system in the first host and the Pb promoter of the benzoate degradation pathway in the second host. By quantifying the bioluminescence signal produced through the expression of the lux genes, we explore the dynamic range of induction for the two systems (Ptrc-based and Pb-based) in response to the two inducers. In addition, by quantifying the fluorescence signals produced by GFP expression, we were able to monitor the single-cell expression profile and to explore stochasticity of the same two promoters by flow cytometry. The results provided here demonstrate the power of the dual GFP-luxCDABE cassette as a new, single-step tool to assess promoter properties at both the population and single-cell levels in gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Maria Benedetti
- Systems Biology Program, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología CSIC, Cantoblanco-Madrid, Spain
| | - Victor de Lorenzo
- Systems Biology Program, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología CSIC, Cantoblanco-Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Rafael Silva-Rocha
- Systems Biology Program, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología CSIC, Cantoblanco-Madrid, Spain
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