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Sci. Signal., 30 November 2010
Vol. 3, Issue 150, p. ec367
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.3150ec367]

EDITORS' CHOICE

Synthetic Biology Cellular Devices

L. Bryan Ray

Science, Science Signaling, AAAS, Washington, DC 20005, USA

Cellular control mechanisms might offer opportunities to build genetic devices capable of sensing aberrant cells and activate a regulatory signal that directs the cell to alter its biological state. Culler et al. (see the Perspective by Liu and Arkin) present a proof of principle for a synthetic gene network in which cells were engineered to make an RNA-based device that detected molecules associated with disease states such as inflammation and cancer. Detection then triggered expression of a gene that made the cells more sensitive to a drug causing cell death.

S. J. Culler, K. G. Hoff, C. D. Smolke, Reprogramming cellular behavior with RNA controllers responsive to endogenous proteins. Science 330, 1251–1255 (2010). [Abstract] [Full Text]

C. C. Liu, A. P. Arkin, The case for RNA. Science 330, 1185–1186 (2010). [Abstract] [Full Text]

Citation: L. B. Ray, Cellular Devices. Sci. Signal. 3, ec367 (2010).

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