title: Synthetic gene networks: the next wave in biotechnology?
abstract: Engineering novel, reusable gene networks to provide greater control over cellular processes is one of the goals of the emerging discipline of synthetic biology. This article reviews the landmark literature pertaining to the development of synthetic gene networks, the engineering framework used to design and characterize them and the technological developments on the horizon that could potentially advance the field in new directions. As gene network engineering enters its second decade, an attempt is also made to outline the challenges in advancing this nascent field, especially with regard to the practical limitations of component reusability and reliability and the opportunities that present themselves in the development of novel gene expression controllers and single-cell biosensors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1304 West Pennsylvania Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. bhalerao@illinois.edu
authors.forename: Kaustubh D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Bhalerao
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000639:trends*; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D005818:Genetic Engineering