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Related Concept Videos

Synthetic Biology02:55

Synthetic Biology

Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary science that involves using principles from disciplines such as engineering, molecular biology, cell biology, and systems biology. It involves remodeling existing organisms from nature or constructing completely new synthetic organisms for applications such as protein or enzyme production, bioremediation, value-added macromolecule production, and the addition of desirable traits to crops, to name a few.
Golden rice
Golden rice is a genetically modified...
Combinatorial Gene Control02:33

Combinatorial Gene Control

Combinatorial gene control is the synergistic action of several transcriptional factors to regulate the expression of a single gene. The absence of one or more of these factors may lead to a significant difference in the level of gene expression or repression.
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...
Reporter Genes02:11

Reporter Genes

Reporter genes are a type of protein-coding gene that are often tagged to a gene of interest. Once inside a target cell, reporter genes usually produce visually identifiable characteristics like fluorescence and luminescence when expressed along with the gene of interest. Thus, reporter genes “report” the presence or absence of genes of interest in an organism, determine the gene expression pattern, or track the physical location of a DNA segment or protein in the cell.
Commonly used reporter...

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Reliably Engineering and Controlling Stable Optogenetic Gene Circuits in Mammalian Cells
09:20

Reliably Engineering and Controlling Stable Optogenetic Gene Circuits in Mammalian Cells

Published on: July 6, 2021

Light-controlled synthetic gene circuits.

Laura Gardner1, Alexander Deiters

  • 1North Carolina State University, Department of Chemistry, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States.

Current Opinion in Chemical Biology
|May 29, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers are advancing light-controlled synthetic gene networks for precise biological system regulation. Light offers spatiotemporal control, enabling new functionalities in engineered biological systems.

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Area of Science:

  • Synthetic biology
  • Biotechnology
  • Genetic engineering

Background:

  • Complex synthetic gene circuits require precise control mechanisms for activation and deactivation.
  • Light offers unparalleled spatiotemporal control due to its tunable properties (timing, location, intensity, wavelength).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in light-controlled synthetic gene networks.
  • To highlight the utility of light as a precise trigger for biological systems.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing light to control the function of molecular components (small molecules, oligonucleotides, proteins) within gene circuits.
  • Engineering light-activated systems for specific biological functions.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated light activation enables novel systems like band-pass filters and edge-detectors in bacteria.
  • Light can regulate intermediate steps in complex cellular pathways, such as kinase networks in mammalian cells.

Conclusions:

  • Light-controlled synthetic networks represent a significant advancement in precise biological engineering.
  • This technology holds promise for developing sophisticated, controllable biological systems.