title: Amplifying genetic logic gates.
abstract: Organisms must process information encoded via developmental and environmental signals to survive and reproduce. Researchers have also engineered synthetic genetic logic to realize simpler, independent control of biological processes. We developed a three-terminal device architecture, termed the transcriptor, that uses bacteriophage serine integrases to control the flow of RNA polymerase along DNA. Integrase-mediated inversion or deletion of DNA encoding transcription terminators or a promoter modulates transcription rates. We realized permanent amplifying AND, NAND, OR, XOR, NOR, and XNOR gates actuated across common control signal ranges and sequential logic supporting autonomous cell-cell communication of DNA encoding distinct logic-gate states. The single-layer digital logic architecture developed here enables engineering of amplifying logic gates to control transcription rates within and across diverse organisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, Y2E2-269B, 473 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 94305-4201, USA.
authors.forename: Jerome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bonnet
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Monica E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: Pakpoom
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Subsoontorn
authors.forename: Drew
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Endy
mesh_terms: D017104:Bacteriophage M13 / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008128:Logic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D057345:Sequence Inversion; D061806:Transcription Termination, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D019426:Integrases; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases