A whole more than the sum of its synthetic parts.
Synthetic biology is the realization of systems with desired behavior using biological materials. A recent addition to the field is a bipartite consortium of the bacterium Escherichia coli in which each species harbors complementary gene circuits that actuate only when both are present above a critical density. This bacterial "consensus" system, functional in liquid, solid, and biofilm niches, represents a novel strategy that raises the bar in terms of the specificity and complexity of tasks performed by engineered organisms.
Wong
Jeffrey V
JV
Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA.
Song
Hao
H
You
Lingchong
L
D018441:Biofilms; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D008957:Models, Genetic