title: SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY. Emergent genetic oscillations in a synthetic microbial consortium.
abstract: A challenge of synthetic biology is the creation of cooperative microbial systems that exhibit population-level behaviors. Such systems use cellular signaling mechanisms to regulate gene expression across multiple cell types. We describe the construction of a synthetic microbial consortium consisting of two distinct cell types—an "activator" strain and a "repressor" strain. These strains produced two orthogonal cell-signaling molecules that regulate gene expression within a synthetic circuit spanning both strains. The two strains generated emergent, population-level oscillations only when cultured together. Certain network topologies of the two-strain circuit were better at maintaining robust oscillations than others. The ability to program population-level dynamics through the genetic engineering of multiple cooperative strains points the way toward engineering complex synthetic tissues and organs with multiple cell types.
authors: Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors: Ye
authors: Y
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Mathematical Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701, Korea. Mathematical Biosciences Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
authors: Jae Kyoung
authors: JK
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors: Andrew J
authors: AJ
authors: Hirning
authors: Department of Mathematics, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA. Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA.
authors: Krešimir
authors: K
authors: Josić
authors: Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA. Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA. matthew.bennett@rice.edu.
authors: Matthew R
authors: MR
authors: Bennett
mesh_terms: D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D056265:Microbial Interactions; D008954:Models, Biological; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D053038:Quorum Sensing; D015398:Signal Transduction; D058615:Synthetic Biology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C088386:homoserine lactone; D015107:4-Butyrolactone