Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Constitutive and Regulated Gene Expression01:27

Constitutive and Regulated Gene Expression

65
Gene expression in prokaryotes is governed by constitutive and regulated systems, allowing cells to balance the production of essential proteins with adaptive responses to environmental changes.Constitutive Gene ExpressionConstitutive, or housekeeping, genes are continuously expressed as they encode proteins vital for fundamental cellular processes. These include enzymes for glycolysis, ribosomal components for protein synthesis, and proteins involved in DNA replication. Their constant...
65
Diversity in Cell Signaling Responses01:22

Diversity in Cell Signaling Responses

6.6K
The physiological function of a cell and cellular communication are outcomes of a range of extrinsic signals, intracellular signaling pathways, and cellular responses. No two cell types express the same repertoire of signaling components. Receptors are highly selective for their cognate ligands, but once activated, they can alter multiple cellular processes such as DNA transcription, protein synthesis, and metabolic activity. 
Graded and Abrupt Responses
Some signaling systems generate...
6.6K
DNA Microarrays02:34

DNA Microarrays

17.9K
Microarrays are high-throughput and relatively inexpensive assays that can be automated to analyze large quantities of data at a time. They are used in genome-wide studies to compare gene or protein expression under two varied conditions, such as healthy and diseased states. Microarrays consist of glass or silica slides on which probe molecules are covalently attached through surface functionalization. Most commonly, the slides are prepared through the chemisorption of silanes to silica...
17.9K
Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps01:23

Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps

968
The gene expression in cells is regulated at different stages: (i) transcription, (ii) RNA processing, (iii) RNA localization, and (iv) translation. Transcriptional regulation is mediated by regulatory proteins such as transcription factors, activators, or repressors—these control gene expression by initiating or inhibiting the transcription of genes. Once a precursor or pre-mRNA is produced, it undergoes post-transcriptional modification, including 5' capping, splicing, and the...
968
Cell Specific Gene Expression01:58

Cell Specific Gene Expression

13.7K
Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
13.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Optimization of SWCNT-FET Biosensors by Aptamer Engineering and Toehold-Mediated Strand Displacement.

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)·2026
Same author

Stochastic modeling of epigenetic memory.

NPJ systems biology and applications·2026
Same author

Resource competition shapes CRISPR-mediated gene activation.

Cell systems·2026
Same author

What problem do you hope bioengineering or synthetic biology approaches will enable us to tackle in the next decade?

Cell systems·2026
Same author

Reversing transgene silencing via targeted chromatin editing.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Coclique level structure for stochastic chemical reaction networks.

Journal of mathematical biology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 8, 2025

A Combinatorial Single-cell Approach to Characterize the Molecular and Immunophenotypic Heterogeneity of Human Stem and Progenitor Populations
09:34

A Combinatorial Single-cell Approach to Characterize the Molecular and Immunophenotypic Heterogeneity of Human Stem and Progenitor Populations

Published on: October 25, 2018

6.7K

Incoherent merger network for robust ratiometric gene expression response.

Ukjin Kwon1, Hsin-Ho Huang2, Jorge L Chávez3

  • 1Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Nucleic Acids Research
|February 25, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a novel incoherent merger network in Escherichia coli for ratiometric gene expression. This system enables precise ratio computation for smart probiotics and organoids, demonstrating robust cellular signal processing.

More Related Videos

Inherent Dynamics Visualizer, an Interactive Application for Evaluating and Visualizing Outputs from a Gene Regulatory Network Inference Pipeline
10:44

Inherent Dynamics Visualizer, an Interactive Application for Evaluating and Visualizing Outputs from a Gene Regulatory Network Inference Pipeline

Published on: December 7, 2021

2.2K
Divergence of Root Microbiota in Different Habitats based on Weighted Correlation Networks
09:49

Divergence of Root Microbiota in Different Habitats based on Weighted Correlation Networks

Published on: September 25, 2021

4.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 8, 2025

A Combinatorial Single-cell Approach to Characterize the Molecular and Immunophenotypic Heterogeneity of Human Stem and Progenitor Populations
09:34

A Combinatorial Single-cell Approach to Characterize the Molecular and Immunophenotypic Heterogeneity of Human Stem and Progenitor Populations

Published on: October 25, 2018

6.7K
Inherent Dynamics Visualizer, an Interactive Application for Evaluating and Visualizing Outputs from a Gene Regulatory Network Inference Pipeline
10:44

Inherent Dynamics Visualizer, an Interactive Application for Evaluating and Visualizing Outputs from a Gene Regulatory Network Inference Pipeline

Published on: December 7, 2021

2.2K
Divergence of Root Microbiota in Different Habitats based on Weighted Correlation Networks
09:49

Divergence of Root Microbiota in Different Habitats based on Weighted Correlation Networks

Published on: September 25, 2021

4.4K

Area of Science:

  • Synthetic Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Systems Biology

Background:

  • Ratiometric responses, crucial for biological computation, are observed in nature.
  • Applications include developing smart probiotics and organoids requiring precise signal processing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To engineer a ratiometric gene expression response in Escherichia coli.
  • To demonstrate a robust molecular signal processing mechanism for synthetic circuits.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized an incoherent merger network architecture in Escherichia coli.
  • Modeled gene expression with one input activating output and another activating intermediate for degradation.
  • Analyzed response linearity and sensitivity by varying degradation and translation rates.

Main Results:

  • Achieved a linear ratiometric gene expression response (R2 ≈ 1) over a wide input ratio range.
  • Demonstrated quantitative tuning of response sensitivity via output translation rate.
  • Showcased robustness to global cellular perturbations through the incoherent feedforward loop.

Conclusions:

  • The incoherent merger network provides a robust mechanism for ratiometric signal processing in bacteria.
  • This system enables the development of multiplexed sense-and-respond circuits with reduced sensitivity to intracellular context.
  • Paves the way for advanced synthetic biology applications requiring precise molecular computation.