Programming Escherichia coli to function as a digital display
Name
msb.20199401.pdf
Description
Published version
Size
1.09 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
5165d7d2b598e716f110f0c336923024
Author(s)
Shin, Jonghyeon
Zhang, Shuyi
Der, Bryan S.
Nielsen, Alec
Voigt, Christopher A.
Date Issued
March 2020
Journal
Molecular Systems Biology
Publisher
EMBO
Citation
Shin, Jonghyeon et al. "Programming Escherichia coli to function as a digital display." Molecular Systems Biology 16, 3 (March 2020): e9401
Version
Final published version
Abstract
Synthetic genetic circuits offer the potential to wield computational control over biology, but their complexity is limited by the accuracy of mathematical models. Here, we present advances that enable the complete encoding of an electronic chip in the DNA carried by Escherichia coli (E. coli). The chip is a binary-coded digit (BCD) to 7-segment decoder, associated with clocks and calculators, to turn on segments to visualize 0-9. Design automation is used to build seven strains, each of which contains a circuit with up to 12 repressors and two activators (totaling 63 regulators and 76,000 bp DNA). The inputs to each circuit represent the digit to be displayed (encoded in binary by four molecules), and output is the segment state, reported as fluorescence. Implementation requires an advanced gate model that captures dynamics, promoter interference, and a measure of total power usage (RNAP flux). This project is an exemplar of design automation pushing engineering beyond that achievable "by hand", essential for realizing the potential of biology.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biological Engineering
Terms of Use
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.15252/msb.20199401
