Bacterial Receiver Prototype for Molecular Communication Using Rhamnose Operon in a Microfluidic Environment.

Area of Science:

• Synthetic Biology
• Biotechnology
• Molecular Communication

Background:

• Bacterial populations are explored for nanomachines in molecular communication (MC).
• A bacterial receiver must uptake information molecules and produce detectable signals via regulation.
• Existing bacterial MC receivers often rely on quorum sensing (QS), which can have slower response times.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct and model a novel bacterial MC receiver utilizing an inducible L-rhamnose-regulating operon.
• To enable the production of green fluorescent protein (GFP) in response to L-rhamnose as an information molecule.
• To investigate the receiver's response dynamics and compare its speed to QS-based receivers.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of the bacterial receiver through plasmid transformation in a microfluidic environment.
• Incorporation of L-rhamnose operon genes and GFP expression gene on the plasmid.
• Mathematical modeling of the information molecule reception process and parameter characterization through simulation and experimental data comparison.

Main Results:

• The novel bacterial receiver successfully produces GFP in response to L-rhamnose.
• The receiver demonstrates the ability to switch between low and high concentrations of information molecules.
• Experimental results show a faster response time compared to bacterial receivers based on quorum sensing (QS).

Conclusions:

• A novel bacterial MC receiver based on an L-rhamnose operon and GFP production has been successfully engineered and modeled.
• This platform allows for the fabrication and modeling of diverse bacterial operon-based receivers with various output proteins.
• The developed receiver offers enhanced speed, paving the way for more efficient bacterial molecular communication systems.