A switchable light-input, light-output system modelled and constructed in yeast

doi:10.1186/1754-1611-3-15

Journal of Biological Engineering

Volume 3

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Sorokina O
Kapus A
Terecskei K
Dixon LE
Kozma-Bognar L
Nagy F
Millar AJ

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Sorokina O
Kapus A
Terecskei K
Dixon LE
Kozma-Bognar L
Nagy F
Millar AJ
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Research

A switchable light-input, light-output system modelled and constructed in yeast

Oxana Sorokina¹^* , Anita Kapus²^* , Kata Terecskei² , Laura E Dixon¹^,3 , Laszlo Kozma-Bognar² , Ferenc Nagy¹^,2 and Andrew J Millar¹^,3

¹Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JH, UK

²Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Center, Temesvari krt. 62, H-6726, Szeged, Hungary

³Centre for Systems Biology at Edinburgh, C.H. Waddington Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JD, UK

author email corresponding author email* Contributed equally

Journal of Biological Engineering 2009, 3:15doi:10.1186/1754-1611-3-15


Published:	17 September 2009

Abstract

Background

Advances in synthetic biology will require spatio-temporal regulation of biological processes in heterologous host cells. We develop a light-switchable, two-hybrid interaction in yeast, based upon the Arabidopsis proteins PHYTOCHROME A and FAR-RED ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 1-LIKE. Light input to this regulatory module allows dynamic control of a light-emitting LUCIFERASE reporter gene, which we detect by real-time imaging of yeast colonies on solid media.

Results

The reversible activation of the phytochrome by red light, and its inactivation by far-red light, is retained. We use this quantitative readout to construct a mathematical model that matches the system's behaviour and predicts the molecular targets for future manipulation.

Conclusion

Our model, methods and materials together constitute a novel system for a eukaryotic host with the potential to convert a dynamic pattern of light input into a predictable gene expression response. This system could be applied for the regulation of genetic networks - both known and synthetic.