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A portable epigenetic switch for bistable gene expression in bacteria.

David R Olivenza1, Hervé Nicoloff2, María Antonia Sánchez-Romero1

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Scientists developed a portable epigenetic switch using the Salmonella opvAB operon. This switch controls gene expression bistably, creating distinct ON and OFF bacterial subpopulations for research applications.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Synthetic Biology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Bacterial gene expression can be controlled by epigenetic mechanisms like DNA methylation.
  • The Salmonella enterica opvAB operon exhibits bistable expression, switching between ON and OFF states.
  • Developing controllable gene expression systems is crucial for synthetic biology applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To engineer a portable epigenetic switch based on the opvAB operon.
  • To demonstrate the functionality of the opvAB switch in a heterologous host (Escherichia coli).
  • To explore the potential applications of this switch in studying bacterial heteroresistance to antibiotics.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a DNA fragment containing the opvAB promoter and upstream regulatory region.
  • Introduced this fragment into heterologous bacterial hosts to control gene expression.
  • Engineered variants of the opvAB switch to modulate subpopulation sizes.

Main Results:

  • The opvAB switch conferred bistable gene expression (OFF and ON subpopulations) in both Salmonella and E. coli.
  • The switch's functionality was confirmed in a heterologous host, demonstrating its portability.
  • Engineered opvAB variants allowed for the controlled generation of subpopulations with varying sizes.

Conclusions:

  • The opvAB operon serves as a portable and functional epigenetic switch.
  • This switch can be utilized in heterologous hosts like E. coli for controllable gene expression.
  • The system holds promise for investigating bacterial heteroresistance to antibiotics by generating distinct resistant and susceptible subpopulations.