Open AccessAccurate prediction of gene feedback circuit behavior from component properties
Author(s) -
Rosenfeld Nitzan,
Young Jonathan W,
Alon Uri,
Swain Peter S,
Elowitz Michael B
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
molecular systems biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.523
H-Index - 148
ISSN - 1744-4292
DOI - 10.1038/msb4100185
Subject(s) - biology , synthetic biology , electronic circuit , computational biology , gene regulatory network , repressor , gene , component (thermodynamics) , biological system , regulation of gene expression , negative feedback , systems biology , genetics , gene expression , physics , quantum mechanics , voltage , thermodynamics
A basic assumption underlying synthetic biology is that analysis of genetic circuit elements, such as regulatory proteins and promoters, can be used to understand and predict the behavior of circuits containing those elements. To test this assumption, we used time‐lapse fluorescence microscopy to quantitatively analyze two autoregulatory negative feedback circuits. By measuring the gene regulation functions of the corresponding repressor–promoter interactions, we accurately predicted the expression level of the autoregulatory feedback loops, in molecular units. This demonstration that quantitative characterization of regulatory elements can predict the behavior of genetic circuits supports a fundamental requirement of synthetic biology.