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Analysis of genetic toggle switch systems encoded on plasmids.

Adiel Loinger¹, Ofer Biham

¹Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.

Physical Review Letters

|October 2, 2009

Summary

Genetic switch systems on plasmids behave differently based on copy number. Higher plasmid counts increase switching stability, reversing the stability of exclusive versus general switches compared to chromosomal systems.

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Area of Science:

Synthetic biology
Systems biology
Genetic engineering

Background:

Genetic switch systems utilize mutual repression between transcription factors.
Previous studies focused on single-copy chromosomal gene expression.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate the impact of plasmid copy number on genetic switch behavior.
Determine how plasmid copy number affects the stability of exclusive and general genetic switches.

Main Methods:

Stochastic modeling of genetic switch systems.
Analysis of gene expression dynamics on plasmids.
Comparison of switch stability under varying plasmid copy numbers.

Main Results:

Plasmid copy number significantly influences genetic switch dynamics.
Increased plasmid copy number enhances the average time between spontaneous switching events.
The stability of general switches surpasses exclusive switches at high plasmid copy numbers, a reversal of chromosomal gene expression findings.

Conclusions:

Plasmid-based genetic switches exhibit distinct behaviors compared to chromosomal systems.
The stability of genetic switches is tunable via plasmid copy number.
Experimental validation using synthetic biology approaches is feasible and recommended.