Researchers at the University of California San Diego have invented a new method for controlling gene expression across bacterial colonies. The method involves engineering dynamic DNA copy number changes in a synchronized fashion. The results were published in the July 10, 2017 online edition of Nature Genetics.
Until now, methods for controlling or programming bacterial cells involved transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. UC San Diego researchers led by Jeff Hasty, a professor of bioengineering and biology and member of the UC San Diego Center for Microbiome Innovation, describe a new method, which involves cutting circular pieces of bacterial DNA called plasmids, effectively destroying the DNA and turning off regulation.
The study also demonstrates how DNA concentration can be increased to turn on a synthetic gene circuit. By controlling DNA copy number, researchers can effectively regulate gene expression.
Video: Using a microfluidic chamber designed by the researchers themselves, Hasty and his colleagues observed regular oscillations of gene expression over time.
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