155 - Toward a bacterial dirigible: Autonomous localization and actuation

Hsuan-Chen Wu, Chen-Yu Tsao, James J Valdes, Gregory F Payne, Silvia Muro, Department Chair William E Bentley PhD University of Maryland, Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, College Park, MD, United States; University of Maryland, Fischell Department of Bioengineering, College Park, MD, United States; University of Maryland, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, College Park, MD, United States; Engineering, Research, and Development Center, U.S. Army, Edgewood, MD, United States

Synthetic biology is often attributed to the rewiring of a cell's
genetic circuitry for the synthesis of novel products using heterologous
processes. A less common but equally innovative view makes use of the
reprogrammed cell as the product. We have created a genetic circuit that endows
E. coli with targeting, sensing &
switching capabilities. The resultant cell is a bacterial dirigible - a cell
that autonomously navigates and carries or deploys important “cargo”. The
bacteria target desired locales on mammalian cell surfaces by “homing”
functions which bind cell surface biomarkers, receptors or other ligands. Specifically,
a IgG Fc region binding domain, protein G, is displayed on the outer membrane
of bacteria which allows targeting. Upon accumulation at the targeted surface
they trigger a “switch” in response to the biomarker density. This serves as a
phenotype focusing system and maintains the switch in an “off” state until the
desired threshold is reached. Several potential applications are discussed.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011 10:10 AM
Upstream Processes (08:30 AM - 11:30 AM)
Location: Anaheim Marriott
Room: Platinum III