Integrase enables synthetic intercellular logic via bacterial conjugation

Area of Science:

• Synthetic biology
• Microbiology
• Molecular biology

Background:

• Integrases are crucial tools in synthetic biology for genome engineering and genetic circuit design.
• Current applications focus on in vivo genome alteration and vertical gene transfer, leaving intercellular DNA messaging underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and demonstrate a versatile strategy for integrase-based intercellular DNA messaging using bacterial conjugation.
• To establish a framework for hierarchical signal processing and management in microbial communities.

Main Methods:

• Screening of conjugative plasmids and recipient cells for efficient bacterial conjugation.
• Implementation of a layered framework for hierarchical E. coli strain interactions.
• Design and testing of dual-layer Boolean logic gates for intercellular DNA communication.

Main Results:

• Successful demonstration of integrase-mediated intercellular DNA messaging via bacterial conjugation.
• Establishment of hierarchical signal processing using multi-layer logic gates.
• Expansion of the system to four-layer single-processing and dual-layer multi-processing pathways.

Conclusions:

• The developed strategy provides a novel platform for intercellular DNA messaging and complex signal processing in synthetic biology.
• This work expands the application of integrases beyond genome engineering to microbial communication systems.
• The findings pave the way for advanced applications in systems and synthetic biology.