Engineering Microbial Systems to Explore Ecological and Evolutionary Dynamics

Yu Tanouchi; Robert P. Smith; Lingchong You

doi:10.1016/j.copbio.2012.01.006

Engineering Microbial Systems to Explore Ecological and Evolutionary Dynamics

Yu Tanouchi
, Robert P. Smith
, Lingchong You

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

A major goal of biological research is to provide a mechanistic understanding of diverse biological processes. To this end, synthetic biology offers a powerful approach, whereby biological questions can be addressed in a well-defined framework. By constructing simple gene circuits, such studies have generated new insights into the design principles of gene regulatory networks. Recently, this strategy has been applied to analyze ecological and evolutionary questions, where population-level interactions are critical. Here, we highlight recent development of such systems and discuss how they were used to address problems in ecology and evolutionary biology. As illustrated by these examples, synthetic ecosystems provide a unique platform to study ecological and evolutionary phenomena that are challenging to study in their natural contexts.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	791-797
Number of pages	7
Journal	Current Opinion in Biotechnology
Volume	23
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2012.01.006
State	Published - Oct 1 2012
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding

Research in our group has been supported by the National Institutes of Health ( 1P50GM081883 , 1R01-CA118486 , and 1R01-GM098642 ), a DuPont Young Professorship, a National Science Foundation CAREER award, and a David and Lucile Packard Fellowship.

Funders	Funder number
National Science Foundation
National Institutes of Health	1P50GM081883, 1R01-GM098642
National Cancer Institute	R01CA118486
DuPont

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Biotechnology
Bioengineering
Biomedical Engineering

Keywords

Biological Evolution
Synthetic Biology/methods
Ecosystem
Gene Regulatory Networks

Disciplines

Biology

Access to Document

10.1016/j.copbio.2012.01.006

Cite this

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title = "Engineering Microbial Systems to Explore Ecological and Evolutionary Dynamics",

abstract = " A major goal of biological research is to provide a mechanistic understanding of diverse biological processes. To this end, synthetic biology offers a powerful approach, whereby biological questions can be addressed in a well-defined framework. By constructing simple gene circuits, such studies have generated new insights into the design principles of gene regulatory networks. Recently, this strategy has been applied to analyze ecological and evolutionary questions, where population-level interactions are critical. Here, we highlight recent development of such systems and discuss how they were used to address problems in ecology and evolutionary biology. As illustrated by these examples, synthetic ecosystems provide a unique platform to study ecological and evolutionary phenomena that are challenging to study in their natural contexts.",

keywords = "Biological Evolution, Synthetic Biology/methods, Ecosystem, Gene Regulatory Networks",

author = "Yu Tanouchi and Smith, \{Robert P.\} and Lingchong You",

note = "Copyright {\textcopyright} 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.",

year = "2012",

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doi = "10.1016/j.copbio.2012.01.006",

language = "American English",

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AU - Tanouchi, Yu

AU - Smith, Robert P.

AU - You, Lingchong

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N2 - A major goal of biological research is to provide a mechanistic understanding of diverse biological processes. To this end, synthetic biology offers a powerful approach, whereby biological questions can be addressed in a well-defined framework. By constructing simple gene circuits, such studies have generated new insights into the design principles of gene regulatory networks. Recently, this strategy has been applied to analyze ecological and evolutionary questions, where population-level interactions are critical. Here, we highlight recent development of such systems and discuss how they were used to address problems in ecology and evolutionary biology. As illustrated by these examples, synthetic ecosystems provide a unique platform to study ecological and evolutionary phenomena that are challenging to study in their natural contexts.

AB - A major goal of biological research is to provide a mechanistic understanding of diverse biological processes. To this end, synthetic biology offers a powerful approach, whereby biological questions can be addressed in a well-defined framework. By constructing simple gene circuits, such studies have generated new insights into the design principles of gene regulatory networks. Recently, this strategy has been applied to analyze ecological and evolutionary questions, where population-level interactions are critical. Here, we highlight recent development of such systems and discuss how they were used to address problems in ecology and evolutionary biology. As illustrated by these examples, synthetic ecosystems provide a unique platform to study ecological and evolutionary phenomena that are challenging to study in their natural contexts.

KW - Biological Evolution

KW - Synthetic Biology/methods

KW - Ecosystem

KW - Gene Regulatory Networks

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UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84867200131#tab=citedBy

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DO - 10.1016/j.copbio.2012.01.006

M3 - Review article

C2 - 22310174

SN - 0958-1669

VL - 23

SP - 791

EP - 797

JO - Current Opinion in Biotechnology

JF - Current Opinion in Biotechnology

IS - 5

ER -

Engineering Microbial Systems to Explore Ecological and Evolutionary Dynamics

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Keywords

Disciplines

Access to Document

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