Designing synthetic regulatory networks capable of self-organizing cell polarization.

ABSTRACT: How cells form global, self-organized structures using genetically encoded molecular rules remains elusive. Here, we take a synthetic biology approach to investigate the design principles governing cell polarization. First, using a coarse-grained computational model, we searched for all possible simple networks that can achieve polarization. All solutions contained one of three minimal motifs: positive feedback, mutual inhibition, or inhibitor with positive feedback. These minimal motifs alone could achieve polarization under limited conditions; circuits that combined two or more of these motifs were significantly more robust. With these design principles as a blueprint, we experimentally constructed artificial polarization networks in yeast, using a toolkit of chimeric signaling proteins

SUBMITTER: Chau AH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3498761 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature