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Non-complementary strand commutation as a fundamental alternative for information processing by DNA and gene regulation
The complementarity of the two strands in the DNA double helix provides a mechanism for the storage and processing of genetic information. Now, an alternative ‘strand commutation’ mechanism of data processing with DNA/RNA has been revealed based on the reversible low-affinity interactions of essentially non-complementary nucleic acids.
- Maxim P. Nikitin
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News & Views |
Scaling up genelet circuits
DNA nanotechnology and synthetic biology both aim to expand the range of dynamic behaviours exhibited by rationally programmed biomolecules. Now, the programmability of synthetic transcriptional circuits has been improved to enable synthesis of dynamic biomolecular circuits with unmatched complexity.
- Jongmin Kim
- & Friedrich C. Simmel
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Article
| Open AccessFunctional DNA-based cytoskeletons for synthetic cells
Cytoskeletons are essential components of cells that perform a variety of tasks, and artificial cytoskeletons that perform these functions are required for the bottom-up assembly of synthetic cells. Now, a multi-functional cytoskeleton mimic has been engineered from DNA, consisting of confined DNA filaments that are capable of reversible self-assembly and transport of gold nanoparticles and vesicular cargo.
- Pengfei Zhan
- , Kevin Jahnke
- & Kerstin Göpfrich
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Building in vitro transcriptional regulatory networks by successively integrating multiple functional circuit modules
The regulation of cellular response to stimuli by genetic regulatory networks (GRNs) suggests how in vitro chemical reaction networks might be used to direct the dynamics of synthetic materials or chemical reactions. Now, multiple functional in vitro transcriptional circuit modules have been integrated to form composite regulatory networks capable of complex features analogous to those found in cellular GRNs.
- Samuel W. Schaffter
- & Rebecca Schulman
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News & Views |
Biomaterials in non-integer dimensions
Nature harnesses fractal geometry to create structures with unusual surface-to-volume ratios. Now, a new design approach enables the reversible assembly of functional enzymes into arboreal patterns with fractal geometry.
- Iris D. Young
- & James S. Fraser
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News & Views |
Deciphering bacterial signalling
Bacterial communication is a potential strategy to control bacterial behaviours and thus, attenuate pathogen infectivity; however, identifying the signalling molecules that regulate communication pathways is challenging. Now, a robust strategy to rapidly identify previously unknown signalling peptides has been developed. This approach provides a means to map out and decipher bacterial signalling mechanisms.
- Dominic N. McBrayer
- & Yftah Tal-Gan
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Signalling and differentiation in emulsion-based multi-compartmentalized in vitro gene circuits
Synthetic gene circuits encapsulated in lipid membrane compartments are often employed as artificial cell mimics, but these lack the complex behaviour of biological tissues. Now, spatial information based on chemical gradients has been used to engineer non-trivial dynamics such as signal propagation and differentiation in an artificial multicellular system.
- Aurore Dupin
- & Friedrich C. Simmel
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News & Views |
Non-living predators
Attempts to build lifelike synthetic protocells must consider extracellular influences in order to accurately reflect the behaviours and characteristics of real ecosystems. Now, this concept has been demonstrated by the synthesis of a community of protocells in which one cell type preys upon another.
- Sheref S. Mansy
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Oligoarginine peptides slow strand annealing and assist non-enzymatic RNA replication
Identifying a non-enzymatic method of replicating RNA for multiple cycles has been problematic because rapid strand reannealing outcompetes slow non-enzymatic template copying. Now, oligoarginine peptides have been shown to inhibit reannealing while still allowing short primers and activated monomers to bind to the template strand, facilitating the next round of template copying.
- Tony Z. Jia
- , Albert C. Fahrenbach
- & Jack W. Szostak
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