title: A sensing array of radically coupled genetic 'biopixels'.
abstract: Although there has been considerable progress in the development of engineering principles for synthetic biology, a substantial challenge is the construction of robust circuits in a noisy cellular environment. Such an environment leads to considerable intercellular variability in circuit behaviour, which can hinder functionality at the colony level. Here we engineer the synchronization of thousands of oscillating colony 'biopixels' over centimetre-length scales through the use of synergistic intercellular coupling involving quorum sensing within a colony and gas-phase redox signalling between colonies. We use this platform to construct a liquid crystal display (LCD)-like macroscopic clock that can be used to sense arsenic via modulation of the oscillatory period. Given the repertoire of sensing capabilities of bacteria such as Escherichia coli, the ability to coordinate their behaviour over large length scales sets the stage for the construction of low cost genetic biosensors that are capable of detecting heavy metals and pathogens in the field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prindle
authors.forename: Phillip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Samayoa
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Razinkov
authors.forename: Tal
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Danino
authors.forename: Lev S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Tsimring
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hasty
mesh_terms: D000667:Ampicillin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000187:drug effects; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D007612:Kanamycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D050866:Liquid Crystals; D009245:NADH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D053038:Quorum Sensing; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D058615:Synthetic Biology; D013890:Thiourea / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D007612:Kanamycin; D000667:Ampicillin; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D002374:Catalase; C095500:SodA protein, Bacteria; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C088908:NADH dehydrogenase II; D009245:NADH Dehydrogenase; D013890:Thiourea; D001151:Arsenic