Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2025
08:37
Light-Controlled Fermentations for Microbial Chemical and Protein Production
Published on: March 22, 2022
4.2K
Cybergenetic control of microbial community composition
1Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
|October 24, 2022
Summary
Cybergenetic control uses computers to interface with bacterial communities for bioproduction, enabling precise control over species composition. This approach offers advantages over traditional methods for robust and efficient engineered microbial consortia.
Area of Science:
- Synthetic biology
- Microbial community engineering
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Bacterial communities offer advantages in bioproduction over monocultures, including higher productivity and substrate utilization.
- Controlling the composition of engineered bacterial communities is critical for stability and optimal performance.
- Traditional biological control methods face challenges in reliably managing community dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review cybergenetic control techniques for engineered bacterial communities.
- To compare cybergenetic approaches with traditional biological methods for population control.
- To identify future directions and challenges in cybergenetic systems.
Main Methods:
- Cybergenetic control involves real-time measurement of community composition (e.g., fluorescence, flow cytometry).
- Computer algorithms process data to compute control actions.
- Actuation involves chemical or physical inputs to modulate the community.
Main Results:
- Cybergenetic control offers a promising alternative to biological methods for precise microbial community management.
- This approach allows for dynamic adjustments to maintain desired species ratios and process states.
- Enables robust and efficient bioproduction using engineered consortia.
Conclusions:
- Cybergenetic control systems represent a significant advancement in managing engineered bacterial communities.
- Further development is needed to address outstanding challenges and expand applications.
- This technology holds potential for revolutionizing biotechnological processes.
Keywords:
compositioncybergeneticsin silico controlmicrobial communitymicrobiomequantitativesynthetic biologyMore Related Videos
09:57Characterizing Microbiome Dynamics – Flow Cytometry Based Workflows from Pure Cultures to Natural Communities
Published on: July 12, 2018
12.1K
06:45Monitoring Intraspecies Competition in a Bacterial Cell Population by Cocultivation of Fluorescently Labelled Strains
Published on: January 18, 2014
8.7K
Related Concept Videos
01:28Biological Methods for Microbial Control
179
Biological agents offer an effective means of controlling microbial growth by leveraging natural processes like predation, competition, and the secretion of antimicrobial substances.Predatory bacteria such as Bdellovibrio species target and kill pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli. They are widely used in poultry farms to control infections. Myxococcus species help combat plant-pathogenic fungi. These naturally occurring predators serve as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides and...
179
01:29Methods for Controlling Microbial Growth
391
Microbial growth control refers to various methods employed to inhibit, reduce, or eliminate microorganisms to ensure safety and hygiene across different settings. These methods are categorized based on the target environment and the level of microbial control required.Biocides are versatile agents designed to control microorganisms by either inhibiting their growth or outright killing them. These agents work through various physical, chemical, mechanical, or biological mechanisms. The...
391
01:28Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing
75
Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
75
01:27Chemical Agents for Microbial Control
175
Chemicals play important roles in controlling microbial growth by targeting microbial structures and functions as sanitizers, antiseptics, disinfectants, and sterilants.Alcohols are commonly used sanitizers, effectively disrupting lipid membranes, which compromises cell integrity. They are also used as antiseptics and disinfectants due to their rapid action and versatility.Phenols and their derivatives phenolics , known for denaturing proteins and disrupting cell membranes, are particularly...
175
01:26Transformation
61
Microbial communities are dynamic environments where cell lysis releases free DNA into the surroundings. Other cells can take up this extracellular DNA through a process known as transformation.When a cell incorporates this foreign DNA into its genome, resulting in genetic modification, the process is known as transformation. Cells capable of this process are termed competent. Competence can be natural, as observed in certain bacteria and archaea, or artificially induced in the...
61
01:28Global Regulatory Systems
62
Global regulatory systems in bacteria enable rapid and coordinated responses to environmental changes by integrating sensory inputs with gene expression, ensuring efficient adaptation to fluctuating conditions. Key global regulatory mechanisms include regulons, two-component systems, sigma factors, and secondary messengers.Regulons and Global RegulatorsA regulon is a collection of genes and operons controlled by a common global regulator. These regulators enable bacteria to prioritize resource...
62