Team:KU Leuven/Research/Idea
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Idea
Intrigued by the patterns occuring in nature, we started our research to design possible interaction schemes and genetic circuits. Looking at specialised literature, we were able to find some interesting papers concerning the formation of patterns using
Escherichia coli
(E. coli). For example, Basu et al. created ring-like patterns based on chemical gradients of an acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) signal that is synthesized by ‘sender’ cells. In receiver cells, designed genetic networks respond to differences in AHL concentrations
[1].
Liu et al. created periodic stripes of high and low cell densities of E. coli, by inhibiting cell motility when cell density was high
[2].
Combining our own innovative and altered chemotaxis intercellular relationship with basic principles from both papers allowed us to design our own circuit which will be elucidated in the following paragraphs.
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References
[1] Subhayu Basu, Yoram Gerchman, Cynthia H. Collins, Frances H. Arnold & Ron Weiss “A synthetic multicellular system for programmed pattern formation” Nature 434 (2005): 1130-1134.
[2] Chenli Liu, Xiongfei Fu, Lizhong Liu, Xiaojing Ren, Carlos K.L. Chau, Sihong Li, Lu Xiang, Hualing Zeng, Guanhua Chen, Lei-Han Tang, Peter Lenz, Xiaodong Cui, Wei Huang, Terence Hwa, Jian-Dong Huang” Sequential Establishment of Stripe Patterns in an Expanding Cell Population” Science 334 no. 6053 (2011) : 238-241.
[3] Khan, S., and D. R. Trentham. “Biphasic Excitation by Leucine in Escherichia Coli Chemotaxis.” Journal of Bacteriology 186, no. 2 (2004): 588-592.
[4] Sarkar MK, Paul K, Blair D , “Chemotaxis signaling protein CheY binds to the rotor protein FliN to control the direction of flagellar rotation in Escherichia coli.” PNAS 107, no. 20 (2010): 9370-9375.
[5] Kuo, Scot C., and D. E. Koshland. “Roles of cheY and cheZ Gene Products in Controlling Flagellar Rotation in Bacterial Chemotaxis of Escherichia Coli.” Journal of Bacteriology 169, no. 3 (1987): 1307–14.
[6] Villaverde, A., A. Benito, E. Viaplana, and R. Cubarsi. “Fine Regulation of cI857-Controlled Gene Expression in Continuous Culture of Recombinant Escherichia Coli by Temperature.” Applied and Environmental Microbiology 59, no. 10 (1993): 3485–87.
[7] Clay Fuqua , Matthew R. Parsek , and E. Peter Greenberg “Regulation of Gene Expression by Cell-to-Cell Communication: Acyl-Homoserine Lactone Quorum Sensing” , Annu. Rev. Genet. (2001) 35:439–68
[8] Ulett, G. C. “Antigen-43-Mediated Autoaggregation Impairs Motility in Escherichia Coli.” Microbiology 152, no. 7 (2006): 2101–2110.
[9] James L. Cox, Betty J. Cox , Vincenzo Fidanza , David H. Calhoun “The complete nucleotide sequence of the iZvGMEDA cluster of Escherichia coli K-12” Gene 56, Issues 2–3 (1987): 185–198.
[10] Wittman, V., H. C. Lin, and H. C. Wong. “Functional Domains of the Penicillinase Repressor of Bacillus Licheniformis.” Journal of Bacteriology 175, no. 22 (1993): 7383–7390.