| Emerging Technologies: Synthetic Biology |
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Developing a platform for engineering interspecies communication
Faping Duan and John March, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University Applications of engineered LuxI-LuxR quorum sensing systems Daniel Sayut, Pavan Kumar Reddy Kambam, and Lianhong Sun, Department Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts |
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Symposium Date: Friday,
October 30th, 2009
12:00pm EST, 9:00am PT
• Registration Fee: $190*
• BIOT member academic institutions:
Full scholarships are available for
academic institutions that announce the seminar to graduates and
undergraduates.
Please reserve a conference room with internet and
speakerphone.
Email the BIOT
(*Fees include unlimited attendees per web/telephone connection)
•Cosponsored by:
GLOBAL
•Organizers:
Kristala Prather & Christopher Rao
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Abstracts |
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Developing a platform for engineering interspecies communication
Faping Duan and John March, Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University |
There has been a recent boom in discoveries regarding interspecies communication1. Whether it relates to signaling between bacteria (e.g. quorum sensing) or between bacteria and their human hosts (e.g. gut epithelia and commensal bacteria) the level of understanding regarding interspecies systems has reached a point where technological exploitation of these relationships is starting to take place. The research described here lies at the heart of these efforts. Specifically, this study involved the manipulation of signaling between species within the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In particular, this research investigated “re-wiring” signaling circuits (of either bacterial or human origin) implicated in human diseases. By using commensal bacteria instead of small molecules, the research promotes the idea of having a surrogate biological entity that can monitor complicated biochemical conditions within the host and respond only when needed and to the degree necessary.
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Applications of engineered LuxI-LuxR quorum sensing systems
Daniel Sayut, Pavan Kumar Reddy Kambam, and Lianhong Sun, Department Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts |
Quorum sensing has been identified in many bacteria to offer cells unique capacity for cell density-dependent response. With this cell-cell communication mechanism, a population of bacterial cells is able to respond to environmental cues as a whole to exhibit coordinated and synchronized behavior. However, a wildtype system is activated at a specific cell density under a defined condition, which prevents its use as a gene expression regulatory method. Using directed evolution, we have created an array of mutant LuxI-LuxR systems which can be activated at a large range of cell densities. In this talk, we will present our recent work in the applications of the engineered LuxI-LuxR quorum sensing systems. We have used the engineered quorum sensing components to construct a genetic oscillator, an artificial genetic circuit exhibiting oscillatory responses when implemented in E. coli. We also have demonstrated that these engineered quorum sensing systems can function as an efficient gene expression regulatory approach. Such an approach allows entirely autonomous activation of gene expression, a strategy superior to other inducible gene regulatory methods. Finally, we will discuss our effect to construct a synthetic symbiotic ecosystem, a method particularly useful for co-culture to implement complex metabolic engineering strategies.
