title: Synthetic biology. Programmable on-chip DNA compartments as artificial cells.
abstract: The assembly of artificial cells capable of executing synthetic DNA programs has been an important goal for basic research and biotechnology. We assembled two-dimensional DNA compartments fabricated in silicon as artificial cells capable of metabolism, programmable protein synthesis, and communication. Metabolism is maintained by continuous diffusion of nutrients and products through a thin capillary, connecting protein synthesis in the DNA compartment with the environment. We programmed protein expression cycles, autoregulated protein levels, and a signaling expression gradient, equivalent to a morphogen, in an array of interconnected compartments at the scale of an embryo. Gene expression in the DNA compartment reveals a rich, dynamic system that is controlled by geometry, offering a means for studying biological networks outside a living cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Interfaces, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karzbrun
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Interfaces, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
authors.forename: Alexandra M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tayar
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Noireaux
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials and Interfaces, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel. roy.bar-ziv@weizmann.ac.il.
authors.forename: Roy H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Bar-Ziv
mesh_terms: D058045:Artificial Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004058:Diffusion; D015870:Gene Expression; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012825:Silicon; D012984:Software; D058615:Synthetic Biology / Q000379:methods; D013698:Templates, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D004247:DNA; D012825:Silicon