Tunable self-cleaving ribozymes for modulating gene expression in eukaryotic systems.

Advancements in the field of synthetic biology have been possible due to the development of genetic tools that are able to regulate gene expression. However, the current toolbox of gene regulatory tools for eukaryotic systems have been outpaced by those developed for simple, single-celled systems. Here, we engineered a set of gene regulatory tools by combining self-cleaving ribozymes with various upstream competing sequences that were designed to disrupt ribozyme self-cleavage.

Analyzing negative feedback using a synthetic gene network expressed in the Drosophila melanogaster embryo.

Background: A complex network of gene interactions controls gene regulation throughout development and the life of the organisms. Insights can be made into these processes by studying the functional interactions (or "motifs") which make up these networks.

Results: We sought to understand the functionality of one of these network motifs, negative feedback, in a multi-cellular system.