Construction of synthetic gene regulatory networks in a cell-free protein synthesis system

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Synthetic biology for the comprehension of biomolecular networks
• Project/Area Number: 23119007
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Complex systems
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: SUYAMA Akira 東京大学, 総合文化研究科, 教授 (90163063)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SHOHDA Koh-ichiroh 東京大学, 大学院総合文化研究科, 助教 (00401216)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 合成生物学 / 人工遺伝子回路 / 無細胞タンパク質合成系 / 遺伝子ネットワーク / 遺伝子発現制御 / 転写因子 / ベクシル / DNAコンピュータ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Conventional methods to construct synthetic gene regulatory networks (GRNs) need time-consuming trial and error steps, preventing their use in synthetic biology. Thus, we have developed a method to more rationally design and construct synthetic GRNs using the framework of a modular DNA computer RTRACS. Using the present method, we successfully built and drove a GRN in a cell-free protein synthesis system confined in a cell-sized vesicle. A GRN constructed in a vesicle by the present method can be basically integrated into a living cell using standard molecular cloning technology.

Free Research Field

生物物理学