Hysteresis in a synthetic mammalian gene network.
Bistable and hysteretic switches, enabling cells to adopt multiple internal expression states in response to a single external input signal, have a pivotal impact on biological systems, ranging from cell-fate decisions to cell-cycle control. We have designed a synthetic hysteretic mammalian transcription network. A positive feedback loop, consisting of a transgene and transactivator (TA) cotranscribed by TA's cognate promoter, is repressed by constitutive expression of a macrolide-dependent transcriptional silencer, whose activity is modulated by the macrolide antibiotic erythromycin. The antibiotic concentration, at which a quasi-discontinuous switch of transgene expression occurs, depends on the history of the synthetic transcription circuitry. If the network components are imbalanced, a graded rather than a quasi-discontinuous signal integration takes place. These findings are consistent with a mathematical model. Synthetic gene networks, which are able to emulate natural gene expression behavior, may foster progress in future gene therapy and tissue engineering initiatives.
Institute for Chemical and Bio-Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Hoenggerberg, HCI F115, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 10, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
Beat P
BP
Kramer
Martin
M
Fussenegger
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D017931:DNA Primers; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D005813:Genes, Synthetic / Q000235:genetics*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics; D019076:Transgenes / Q000235:genetics
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017931:DNA Primers; D015534:Trans-Activators; D004917:Erythromycin; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase