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Published on: September 27, 2018
Autonomous synchronization of chemically coupled synthetic oscillators
Moritz Lang1, Tatiana T Marquez-Lago, Jörg Stelling
1Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland. moritz.lang@bsse.ethz.ch
Bulletin of Mathematical Biology
|March 5, 2011
Summary
Researchers developed a mathematical method to predict and optimize autonomous synchronization in synthetic single-cell oscillators. This approach identifies key factors like cell density and design choices for successful in vivo implementation.
Area of Science:
- Synthetic Biology
- Systems Biology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Functional single-cell oscillators have been developed using synthetic biology.
- Achieving population-level synchronization of these oscillators remains a significant challenge.
- Designing effective cell coupling mechanisms for autonomous synchronization involves complex choices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a mathematical method for predicting autonomous synchronization properties of synthetic oscillators.
- To identify optimal network structures for enhanced synchronization performance.
- To increase the feasibility of implementing synchronized synthetic oscillators in vivo.
Main Methods:
- Reduction of ordinary differential equation (ODE)-based models to phase descriptions.
- Analysis of phase models in both spatially homogeneous and heterogeneous environments.
- Investigation of synthetic oscillators in mammalian cells using quorum sensing mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Identified cell density, cell-to-cell variability, and structural design as critical factors for synchronization.
- Observed phase waves in heterogeneous media that can hinder synchronization.
- Determined that periodical transcription of both signaling and receptor proteins is crucial for good performance.
Conclusions:
- The developed method enables mathematical prediction and optimization of synthetic oscillator synchronization.
- Phase wave suppression is a key consideration for designing synchronized systems in heterogeneous environments.
- Optimized quorum sensing designs require transcriptional regulation of both signaling and receptor proteins for effective autonomous synchronization.
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