SYSY-RNA

Genetic material can be programmed to express systems that sense, process (following logic calculations) and respond to (in the form of gene expression) different molecular signals. Synthetic biology aims at approaching this by following fundamental systems engineering principles, that is, through the combination of mathematical modeling to capture gene expression dynamics, experiments to monitor in a quantitative way the features of the system to feedback the design process, and genetic part standardization for modular composability. Certainly, initial circuit design relies on incomplete or simplistic models of regulation established by previous molecular and systems biology developments. Once designed and characterized for its main functionality, a synthetic circuit still presents multiple queries, usually overlooked. For example, are the models used to guide the design predictive enough?, is the behavior consistent at the population and single cell levels?, or what is the evolutionary stability of a synthetic construct in a living organism? We believe that the proper resolution of these questions will lead to a resynthesis in the understanding of circuit function.

Description

Title: Systems biology of synthetic riboregulation: thermodynamics, noise, and operability

Research Group: Biosystems Design

Genetic material can be programmed to express systems that sense, process (following logic calculations) and respond to (in the form of gene expression) different molecular signals. Synthetic biology aims at approaching this by following fundamental systems engineering principles, that is, through the combination of mathematical modeling to capture gene expression dynamics, experiments to monitor in a quantitative way the features of the system to feedback the design process, and genetic part standardization for modular composability. Certainly, initial circuit design relies on incomplete or simplistic models of regulation established by previous molecular and systems biology developments. Once designed and characterized for its main functionality, a synthetic circuit still presents multiple queries, usually overlooked. For example, are the models used to guide the design predictive enough?, is the behavior consistent at the population and single cell levels?, or what is the evolutionary stability of a synthetic construct in a living organism? We believe that the proper resolution of these questions will lead to a resynthesis in the understanding of circuit function.

Non-UV principal researchers

Guillermo Rodrigo

Start date

2019 January

End date

2021 December

Funding agencies:

Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades

Partners:

European Regional Development Fund