title: Synthetic biology: engineering Escherichia coli to see light.
abstract: We have designed a bacterial system that is switched between different states by red light. The system consists of a synthetic sensor kinase that allows a lawn of bacteria to function as a biological film, such that the projection of a pattern of light on to the bacteria produces a high-definition (about 100 megapixels per square inch), two-dimensional chemical image. This spatial control of bacterial gene expression could be used to 'print' complex biological materials, for example, and to investigate signalling pathways through precise spatial and temporal control of their phosphorylation steps.
authors.affiliation: Biophysics Program, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA.
authors.forename: Anselm
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Levskaya
authors.forename: Aaron A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Chevalier
authors.forename: Jeffrey J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Tabor
authors.forename: Zachary Booth
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Lavery
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scouras
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Ellington
authors.forename: Edward M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Marcotte
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Voigt
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar; D001695:Biology; D003116:Color; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000528:radiation effects; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000235:genetics; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D000071677:Histidine Kinase; D007763:Lac Operon / Q000235:genetics; D008027:Light; D010781:Photography / Q000379:methods*; D020283:Photoreceptors, Microbial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D052980:Phycobilins; D010798:Phycocyanin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D010834:Phytochrome / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D045725:Tetrapyrroles / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020283:Photoreceptors, Microbial; D052980:Phycobilins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D045725:Tetrapyrroles; D010798:Phycocyanin; D010834:Phytochrome; C011069:phycocyanobilin; D000362:Agar; D011494:Protein Kinases; D000071677:Histidine Kinase