EMT/BSSE: RNA switches and logic gates for biomolecular computation in vitro

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Living cells constantly monitor their surroundings for physical and chemical changes and respond by controlling genetic and biochemical processes inside the cell. These processes involve sophisticated sensing and information processing that are very different from the conventional silicon-based counterparts. The investigators will develop novel biologically-inspired systems capable of sophisticated molecular sensing and elementary computations in cell-free conditions. The cell-fee gene switches and circuits could be used as a part of larger systems or devices that use biological elements to achieve complex functions, such as biosensors and diagnostic devices. Additionally, the project will enable deeper understanding of how RNAs control gene expression in living cells, which will further enhance our ability to engineer synthetic gene circuits with complex functions.The research will focus on the development of RNA-based molecular sensors and gene circuits that function in cell-free conditions. The investigators will develop new techniques to isolate RNA switches and circuits from a large pool of mutants in the laboratory. Complex circuits will be built using the simpler parts generated by the techniques. The gene switches and logic gates that will be developed during the project period will be reusable as parts in other biomolecular devices and systems, thus they will be deposited in a public database. The proposed educational component of the project will provide an exceptional opportunity for undergraduate students to engage in real problem solving activities in small teams, both in the classroom and in the laboratory at University of California, Davis.