Detection of Viruses Using Synthetic Gene Networks

A strong prospect for the utilization of synthetic gene networks in the context of not only biotechnology, but also medical diagnosis now exists. Engineers have been able to utilize these networks to imitate gene circuits and components of the biological cell for the purpose of research. They can use the synthetic gene networks to direct gene activity, and identify nucleic acids and other relevant molecules. Thus far, there has only been utilization of such a technology in the laboratory. This is due to factors related to safety of this biotechnology, as well as, lack of application in other settings.

As published by Cell Press in the journal Cell, scientists have developed a new type of synthetic gene network that may be safe and practical for use outside of the laboratory. James Collins and other researchers at Harvard University have made progress in the use of synthetic gene networks by creating a paper-based system that does not possess cells, and can be activated safely by the simple act of adding water to the paper. The researchers have tested various clinical applications of this paper-based synthetic gene network for purposes of identification of molecules that are of interest in the field of medicine. They were able to come up with sensors that harness the capacity to recognize molecules of RNA that were produced from genes that allow for the quality of antibacterial resistance in bacteria. They were also able to produce sensors that possessed the ability to detect molecules of RNA that coded for proteins from two particular versions of the Ebola virus. These sensors proved effective in identification when freeze-dried to the paper. This proves significant for clinical applications in the form of diagnosis methodology.

I found this article to be quite interesting due to the transition of a technology once only applicable in laboratory research to one that possesses excellent application to the medical industry. Before reading this article, I was unaware of the ability of engineers to utilize synthetic gene networks to imitate gene circuits and cell components. I find it absolutely amazing that such a biotechnology exists. With all of the recent press coverage regarding the Ebola virus, I found it intriguing that this article mentions the ability for this technology to allow for the detection of proteins found in the presence of certain strains of the Ebola virus. I hope that this new paper-based method will prove efficacious in diagnosis procedures in the future.  

Original Article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141023131657.htm

Related Pages: http://phys.org/news/2014-09-protein-secrets-ebola-virus.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140923110750.htm

Bioengineers bright light to gene circuits

Using the same techniques as an electric engineer would use for electric circuits, bioengineers created something similar when working with genes. In the article, Jeffrey Tabor, Evan Olson and their colleagues from Rice University have engineered a new way of making and calculating gene expression signals in bacteria. The way it works is this: they use LED lights with light sensitive proteins from photosynthetic algae and put it together with bright reporter genes, with this they can take charge of the quantity and the timing of the different genes that are expressed by how bright and long the lights last. Tabor, quoted by the author, then explains how they were inspired by the electrical engineers with their tools on measuring the voltage on electrical circuits, so they thought why not use the same process for genetics? The correlation between genetic and electric circuits are how information passes through these circuits making them process and react on what is provided. In genes, these circuits can make an expression be shown or not shown by the control of DNA segments. Tabor's study consisted of 4,000 bacterial genes and even though humans have 20,000, they were still able to create genetic circuits that could produce complicated activities like counting, memory, growing tissues, and diagnosing signs of disease within the body.

Previously, Tabor and his colleagues would make gene circuits that would permit the bacteria to change their color based on approaching light. Recently, the team recognized how the light could signal when gene expressions would go up and down like in electrical circuits. Olson compares the tools they use to a generator and an oscilloscope in electrical engineering. A generator shoots a signal to the circuit that is being portrayed then the oscilloscope helps engineers see circuit output. In Tabor and Olson's study, the light up reporter genes are their oscilloscope and their invention, the "light tube array," acted as their generator. The light tube array is just an eight by eight pack of lights that fit under test tubes. It has been said by Olson that there is a seven minute delay between the gene expression going in and out of the gene circuit. But they have discovered that they can design the circuit to perform certain instructions. All in all, their research and creation has led to some of the cleanest data in biology yet.

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In my opinion, the article was only slightly interesting. Engineering in general to me is fairly intriguing but I felt this article was repetitious when describing genetic and electrical circuits. But it was really cool to learn about how bioengineering is progressing in the genetic field, especially since collecting data in genetics is very tedious. This new invention/discovery could pose extremely useful in learning human genetics and figuring out the codes of different genetic diseases or possibly understanding where they came from. In essence, this article and study brings new light to the genetics and bioengineering world and should offer more questions and answers to the genetic society.

Link to the article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140310111710.htm

Link to related research on genetic circuits: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/342/6163/1193.full