title: Chemical communication between bacteria and cell-free gene expression systems within linear chains of emulsion droplets.
abstract: Position-dependent gene expression in gradients of morphogens is one of the key processes involved in cellular differentiation during development. Here, we study a simple artificial differentiation process, which is based on the diffusion of genetic inducers within one-dimensional arrangements of 50 μm large water-in-oil droplets. The droplets are filled with either bacteria or cell-free gene expression systems, both equipped with genetic constructs that produce inducers or respond to them via expression of a fluorescent protein. We quantitatively study the coupled diffusion-gene expression process and demonstrate that gene expression can be made position-dependent both within bacteria-containing and cell-free droplets. By generating diffusing quorum sensing signals in situ, we also establish communication between artificial cell-free sender cells and bacterial receivers, and vice versa.
authors.affiliation: Technical University of Munich, Physics Department E14 and ZNN/WSI, Am Coulombwall 4a, 85748 Garching, Germany. simmel@tum.de.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwarz-Schilling
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aufinger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mückl
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Simmel
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002474:Cell-Free System; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004058:Diffusion; D004655:Emulsions; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D008823:Micelles; D044085:Microfluidics; D018715:Microscopy, Video; D053038:Quorum Sensing; D058615:Synthetic Biology / Q000379:methods*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004655:Emulsions; D008823:Micelles; D014157:Transcription Factors; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D004247:DNA