Principles of genetic circuit design

Cells navigate environments, communicate and build complex patterns by initiating gene expression in response to specific signals. Engineers seek to harness this capability to program cells

to perform tasks or create chemicals and materials that match the complexity seen in nature. This Review describes new tools that aid the construction of genetic circuits. Circuit dynamics

can be influenced by the choice of regulators and changed with expression 'tuning knobs'. We collate the failure modes encountered when assembling circuits, quantify their impact on

performance and review mitigation efforts. Finally, we discuss the constraints that arise from circuits having to operate within a living cell. Collectively, better tools, well-characterized

parts and a comprehensive understanding of how to compose circuits are leading to a breakthrough in the ability to program living cells for advanced applications, from living therapeutics

to the atomic manufacturing of functional materials.

C.A.V. and J.A.N.B. are supported by the US National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS grant P50 GMO98792 and R01 GM095765), Office of Naval Research (ONR) Multidisciplinary

University Research Initiative (MURI grant 4500000552) and US National Science Foundation (NSF) Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (SynBERC EEC0540879) and by Life Technologies

(A114510). J.A.N.B. is supported by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.

Department of Biological Engineering, Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Models used to generate figure 3 – the model is in SBML format and can be opened and run with SBML software. (XML 43 kb)

Models used to generate figures 3 and 4 – the model is in SBML format and can be opened and run with SBML software. (XML 107 kb)

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: