Transcriptional control of motility enables directional movement of Escherichia coli in a signal gradient.

Manipulation of cellular motility using a target signal can facilitate the development of biosensors or microbe-powered biorobots. Here, we engineered signal-dependent motility in Escherichia coli via the transcriptional control of a key motility gene. Without manipulating chemotaxis, signal-dependent switching of motility, either on or off, led to population-level directional movement of cells up or down a signal gradient. We developed a mathematical model that captures the behaviour of the cells, enables identification of key parameters controlling system behaviour, and facilitates predictive-design of motility-based pattern formation. We demonstrated that motility of the receiver strains could be controlled by a sender strain generating a signal gradient. The modular quorum sensing-dependent architecture for interfacing different senders with receivers enabled a broad range of systems-level behaviours. The directional control of motility, especially combined with the potential to incorporate tuneable sensors and more complex sensing-logic, may lead to tools for novel biosensing and targeted-delivery applications.

Modular optimization of multi-gene pathways for fatty acids production in E. coli.

Microbial fatty acid-derived fuels have emerged as promising alternatives to petroleum-based transportation fuels. Here we report a modular engineering approach that systematically removed metabolic pathway bottlenecks and led to significant titre improvements in a multi-gene fatty acid metabolic pathway. On the basis of central pathway architecture, E. coli fatty acid biosynthesis was re-cast into three modules: the upstream acetyl coenzyme A formation module; the intermediary acetyl-CoA activation module; and the downstream fatty acid synthase module. Combinatorial optimization of transcriptional levels of these three modules led to the identification of conditions that balance the supply of acetyl-CoA and consumption of malonyl-CoA/ACP. Refining protein translation efficiency by customizing ribosome binding sites for both the upstream acetyl coenzyme A formation and fatty acid synthase modules enabled further production improvement. Fed-batch cultivation of the engineered strain resulted in a final fatty acid production of 8.6 g l(-1). The modular engineering strategies demonstrate a generalized approach to engineering cell factories for valuable metabolites production.

Synthetic biology: a foundation for multi-scale molecular biology.

The field of synthetic biology has made rapid progress in a number of areas including method development, novel applications and community building. In seeking to make biology "engineerable," synthetic biology is increasing the accessibility of biological research to researchers of all experience levels and backgrounds. One of the underlying strengths of synthetic biology is that it may establish the framework for a rigorous bottom-up approach to studying biology starting at the DNA level. Building upon the existing framework established largely by the Registry of Standard Biological Parts, careful consideration of future goals may lead to integrated multi- scale approaches to biology. Here we describe some of the current challenges that need to be addressed or considered in detail to continue the development of synthetic biology. Specifically, discussion on the areas of elucidating biological principles, computational methods and experimental construction methodologies are presented.