Scientists using e. coli to create a "genetic clock" (photo)

Keywords: e. coli genetic clock

　　

Photo caption: scientists create first stable, fast, adjustable genetic clock.

[/]: United States scientists in a recent study, the use of synthetic biology methods, successfully created the first stable, fast, controllable clock "of" genetic, it adopted a single Escherichia coli cells on the inside of the fluorescent protein flashing to timing. As the clock of the blink rate increases as the temperature and energy sources, such as environmental conditions change, so the new results expected as a perceptual environment information form the basis of a variety of sensors. Related articles on 29 October online published in the journal nature.

Leadership of the research is the University of California, San Diego, Professor of Bioengineering, Jeff Hasty from doing postdoctoral research, he has been creating living genetic clock. According to the introduction of a new clock Hasty, is the essence of an e. coli genetic oscillator. It is a core part of a genetic networks, including the negative feedback loop by cell manufacturing out of messenger RNA and produce functional protein between two minutes delay. In addition, the new system also has a positive feedback loop, to allow the clock more orderly and dynamic. Paper co-author Matthew Bennett said, "the negative feedback loop is the look of the ' nuclear ', and the positive feedback loop is above the ' sugar '. ”

Take advantage of the special design of Microfluidic platforms, researchers accurately control a single Escherichia coli cells of environmental conditions, and monitor its internal oscillation of gene function. The results indicated that designs loop oscillations with significant energy and persistence, almost every cell in the observation process reveal significant fluorescent flickering. At the same time, the study found that can change the level and temperature induced by agent, etc, to adjust the oscillation cycle. The most rapid oscillation cycle is 13 minutes.

Hasty said that a "three-step" synthetic biology is his system of biological Dynamics laboratory work. Specifically, the first thing to put on a particular system of calculation model, and then from the model developed by the design criteria, and finally build a standards-based and gene networks, testing of the network is in line with the model forecasts. The method most major characteristic is that it is a way of thinking into computing model, and then use the model to generate the design standards.

The next step in the direction of possible work is synchronized numerous internal clock of Escherichia coli, a test tube of cells will consistently.