title: High-throughput and long-term observation of compartmentalized biochemical oscillators.
abstract: We report the splitting of an oscillating DNA circuit into ∼700 droplets with picoliter volumes. Upon incubation at constant temperature, the droplets display sustained oscillations that can be observed for more than a day. Superimposed to the bulk behaviour, we find two intriguing new phenomena - slow desynchronization between the compartments and kinematic spatial waves - and investigate their possible origin. This approach provides a route to study the influence of small volume effects in biology, and paves the way to technological applications of compartmentalized molecular programs controlling complex dynamics.
authors.affiliation: LIMMS/CNRS-IIS, University of Tokyo, Komaba 4-6-2 Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan. rondelez@iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Koshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hasatani
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leocmach
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Genot
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Estévez-Torres
authors.forename: Teruo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rondelez
mesh_terms: D001683:Biological Clocks; D053801:Capillary Electrochromatography; D008954:Models, Biological; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D009821:Oils; D014867:Water