合成生物學(xué)的基因回路研究方法利用計算機模擬來設(shè)計能在活細胞中發(fā)揮功能的小基因網(wǎng)絡(luò)。
在其首次成功（合成振蕩器和撥動開關(guān)）不到十年之后的今天,，Jeff Hasty 及其同事又通過設(shè)計自然的“群體感應(yīng)”（quorum sensing）基因培養(yǎng)出一批同步的大腸桿菌細胞,。 利用微流體和延時熒光顯微鏡技術(shù)，他們試圖總結(jié)有關(guān)控制同步振蕩或波傳播的因子的普遍規(guī)律,。這項工作將有助于關(guān)于更復(fù)雜自然振蕩的研究工作,。
在這一模型體系中，基因時鐘產(chǎn)生了同步的閃光,，但類似的基因開關(guān)則有可能觸發(fā)與胰島素分泌和生物節(jié)律等相關(guān)的事件,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
Nature 463, 326-330 (21 January 2010) | doi:10.1038/nature08753
A synchronized quorum of genetic clocks
Tal Danino1,4, Octavio Mondragón-Palomino1,4, Lev Tsimring2 & Jeff Hasty1,2,3
1 Department of Bioengineering,
2 BioCircuits Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
3 Molecular Biology Section, Division of Biological Science, University of California, Mailcode 0368, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
4 These authors contributed equally to this work.
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.
