A 'bioproduction breadboard': programming, assembling, and actuating cellular networks.
With advances in synthetic biology and biofabrication, cellular networks can be functionalized and connected with unprecedented sophistication. We describe a platform for the creation of a 'bioproduction breadboard'. This would consist of physically isolated product-producing cell populations, product capture devices, and other unit operations that function as programmed in place, using unique, orthogonal inputs. For product synthesis, customized cell populations would be connected through standardized, generic inputs allowing 'plug and play' functionality and primary, user-mediated regulation. In addition, through autonomous pathway redirection and balancing, the cells themselves would provide secondary, self-directed regulation to optimize bioproduction. By leveraging specialization and division of labor, we envision diverse cell populations linked to create new pathway designs.
Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR), University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
Amin
A
Zargar
Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR), University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
Gregory F
GF
Payne
Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR), University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA. Electronic address: bentley@umd.edu.
William E
WE
Bentley
D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction; D058615:Synthetic Biology