Accurate prediction of gene feedback circuit behavior from component properties.
A basic assumption underlying synthetic biology is that analysis of genetic circuit elements, such as regulatory proteins and promoters, can be used to understand and predict the behavior of circuits containing those elements. To test this assumption, we used time-lapse fluorescence microscopy to quantitatively analyze two autoregulatory negative feedback circuits. By measuring the gene regulation functions of the corresponding repressor-promoter interactions, we accurately predicted the expression level of the autoregulatory feedback loops, in molecular units. This demonstration that quantitative characterization of regulatory elements can predict the behavior of genetic circuits supports a fundamental requirement of synthetic biology.
Rosenfeld
Nitzan
N
Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
Young
Jonathan W
JW
Alon
Uri
U
Swain
Peter S
PS
Elowitz
Michael B
MB
D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks