title: Quantitative analysis of the spatiotemporal dynamics of a synthetic predator-prey ecosystem.
abstract: A major focus in synthetic biology is the rational design and implementation of gene circuits to control dynamics of individual cells and, increasingly, cellular populations. Population-level control is highlighted in recent studies which attempt to design and implement synthetic ecosystems (or engineered microbial consortia). On the one hand, these engineered systems may serve as a critical technological foundation for practical applications. On the other hand, they may serve as well-defined model systems to examine biological questions of broad relevance. Here, using a synthetic predator-prey ecosystem as an example, we illustrate the basic experimental techniques involved in system implementation and characterization. By extension, these techniques are applicable to the analysis of other microbial-based synthetic or natural ecosystems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Robert Phillip
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Lingchong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: You
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar; D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D002465:Cell Movement; D004058:Diffusion; D017753:Ecosystem; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D058615:Synthetic Biology / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000362:Agar