AI Article Synopsis
- Synthetic biology aims to create reaction circuits in living cells using biological components, yet most efforts focus on transcriptional elements rather than post-translational systems.
- A new protein-based artificial module was constructed in Escherichia coli, mimicking a eukaryotic signaling pathway, featuring a switch-like response driven by the balance of a protein kinase and phosphatase.
- The module’s sensitivity can be predicted and adjusted based on substrate expression levels, suggesting its future potential in building advanced artificial circuits.
Article Abstract
An important goal of synthetic biology is to construct reaction circuits with artificial responses by assembling modulated biological elements into living cells. While many such attempts have been based upon the cellular transcriptional apparatus, the use of the post-translational machinery remains relatively rare. Here we report the reconstruction in Escherichia coli of a protein-based artificial module based upon elements of a eukaryotic cell signaling pathway. The module shows a switch-like ultrasensitive response, using the opposing functions of a protein kinase and a phosphatase. The switch is acutely responsive to the kinase:phosphatase ratio, and can be modulated as a function of the expression level of the substrate. We can theoretically predict the response of this module and can control its steepness based on these predictions. Future work will demonstrate the potential of this controllable protein-based switch to be incorporated into artificial circuits.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2012.04.071 | DOI Listing |
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