1
|
Ma Y, Budde MW, Mayalu MN, Zhu J, Lu AC, Murray RM, Elowitz MB. Synthetic mammalian signaling circuits for robust cell population control. Cell 2022; 185:967-979.e12. [PMID: 35235768 PMCID: PMC8995209 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
In multicellular organisms, cells actively sense and control their own population density. Synthetic mammalian quorum-sensing circuits could provide insight into principles of population control and extend cell therapies. However, a key challenge is reducing their inherent sensitivity to "cheater" mutations that evade control. Here, we repurposed the plant hormone auxin to enable orthogonal mammalian cell-cell communication and quorum sensing. We designed a paradoxical population control circuit, termed "Paradaux," in which auxin stimulates and inhibits net cell growth at different concentrations. This circuit limited population size over extended timescales of up to 42 days of continuous culture. By contrast, when operating in a non-paradoxical regime, population control became more susceptible to mutational escape. These results establish auxin as a versatile "private" communication system and demonstrate that paradoxical circuit architectures can provide robust population control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yitong Ma
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Mark W Budde
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Primordium Labs, Arcadia, CA 91006, USA
| | - Michaëlle N Mayalu
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Junqin Zhu
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Andrew C Lu
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Richard M Murray
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Michael B Elowitz
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
| |
Collapse
|