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A synchronized quorum of genetic clocks

Author

Listed:
  • Tal Danino

    (Department of Bioengineering,)

  • Octavio Mondragón-Palomino

    (Department of Bioengineering,)

  • Lev Tsimring

    (BioCircuits Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA)

  • Jeff Hasty

    (Department of Bioengineering,
    BioCircuits Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
    Molecular Biology Section, University of California, Mailcode 0368, La Jolla, California 92093, USA)

Abstract

The engineering of genetic circuits with predictive functionality in living cells represents a defining focus of the expanding field of synthetic biology. This focus was elegantly set in motion a decade ago with the design and construction of a genetic toggle switch and an oscillator, with subsequent highlights that have included circuits capable of pattern generation, noise shaping, edge detection and event counting. Here we describe an engineered gene network with global intercellular coupling that is capable of generating synchronized oscillations in a growing population of cells. Using microfluidic devices tailored for cellular populations at differing length scales, we investigate the collective synchronization properties along with spatiotemporal waves occurring at millimetre scales. We use computational modelling to describe quantitatively the observed dependence of the period and amplitude of the bulk oscillations on the flow rate. The synchronized genetic clock sets the stage for the use of microbes in the creation of a macroscopic biosensor with an oscillatory output. Furthermore, it provides a specific model system for the generation of a mechanistic description of emergent coordinated behaviour at the colony level.

Suggested Citation

  • Tal Danino & Octavio Mondragón-Palomino & Lev Tsimring & Jeff Hasty, 2010. "A synchronized quorum of genetic clocks," Nature, Nature, vol. 463(7279), pages 326-330, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:463:y:2010:i:7279:d:10.1038_nature08753
    DOI: 10.1038/nature08753
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Beregov, R.Y. & Melkikh, A.V., 2015. "De-synchronization and chaos in two inductively coupled Van der Pol auto-generators," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 17-28.
    2. Volkov, Evgeny & Hellen, Edward H., 2021. "The effect of characteristic times on collective modes of two quorum sensing coupled identical ring oscillators," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    3. Masa Tsuchiya & Vincent Piras & Alessandro Giuliani & Masaru Tomita & Kumar Selvarajoo, 2010. "Collective Dynamics of Specific Gene Ensembles Crucial for Neutrophil Differentiation: The Existence of Genome Vehicles Revealed," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(8), pages 1-10, August.
    4. Navneet Rai & Rajat Anand & Krishna Ramkumar & Varun Sreenivasan & Sugat Dabholkar & K V Venkatesh & Mukund Thattai, 2012. "Prediction by Promoter Logic in Bacterial Quorum Sensing," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(1), pages 1-14, January.
    5. Alice Boo & Tyler Toth & Qiguo Yu & Alexander Pfotenhauer & Brandon D. Fields & Scott C. Lenaghan & C. Neal Stewart & Christopher A. Voigt, 2024. "Synthetic microbe-to-plant communication channels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.
    6. Lukas Aufinger & Johann Brenner & Friedrich C. Simmel, 2022. "Complex dynamics in a synchronized cell-free genetic clock," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    7. Singh, Vijai & Chaudhary, Dharmendra Kumar & Mani, Indra & Dhar, Pawan Kumar, 2016. "Recent advances and challenges of the use of cyanobacteria towards the production of biofuels," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 1-10.
    8. Onelia Gagliano & Camilla Luni & Yan Li & Silvia Angiolillo & Wei Qin & Francesco Panariello & Davide Cacchiarelli & Joseph S. Takahashi & Nicola Elvassore, 2021. "Synchronization between peripheral circadian clock and feeding-fasting cycles in microfluidic device sustains oscillatory pattern of transcriptome," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    9. Jung Hun Park & Gábor Holló & Yolanda Schaerli, 2024. "From resonance to chaos by modulating spatiotemporal patterns through a synthetic optogenetic oscillator," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    10. Yu-Yu Cheng & Zhengyi Chen & Xinyun Cao & Tyler D. Ross & Tanya G. Falbel & Briana M. Burton & Ophelia S. Venturelli, 2023. "Programming bacteria for multiplexed DNA detection," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    11. Lucas Henrion & Juan Andres Martinez & Vincent Vandenbroucke & Mathéo Delvenne & Samuel Telek & Andrew Zicler & Alexander Grünberger & Frank Delvigne, 2023. "Fitness cost associated with cell phenotypic switching drives population diversification dynamics and controllability," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.

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