Article

Characterization of combinatorial patterns generated by multiple two-component sensors in E. coli that respond to many stimuli

  1. Elizabeth J. Clarke1,
  2. Christopher A. Voigt1,2,*

Article first published online: 1 DEC 2010

DOI: 10.1002/bit.22966

Issue

Biotechnology and Bioengineering

Biotechnology and Bioengineering

Volume 108, Issue 3, pages 666–675, March 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Clarke, E. J. and Voigt, C. A. (2011), Characterization of combinatorial patterns generated by multiple two-component sensors in E. coli that respond to many stimuli. Biotechnol. Bioeng., 108: 666–675. doi: 10.1002/bit.22966

Author Information

  1. 1

    Graduate Group in Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158

  2. 2

    Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, Box 2540, Room 408C, 1700 4th Street, San Francisco, California 94158; telephone: 1-415-502-7050; fax: 1-415-502-4690

*Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, Box 2540, Room 408C, 1700 4th Street, San Francisco, California 94158; telephone: 1-415-502-7050; fax: 1-415-502-4690.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 15 JAN 2011
  2. Article first published online: 1 DEC 2010
  3. Accepted manuscript online: 12 NOV 2010 12:00AM EST
  4. Manuscript Accepted: 30 SEP 2010
  5. Manuscript Revised: 23 SEP 2010
  6. Manuscript Received: 18 AUG 2010

Funded by

  • Naval Research
  • Packard Fellowship Program
  • National Science Foundation BES-0547637

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Keywords:

  • systems biology;
  • synthetic biology;
  • membrane fluidity;
  • butanol;
  • isobutanol;
  • biofuel;
  • biodiesel;
  • stress response

Abstract

Two-component systems enable bacteria to sense changes in their environment and adjust gene expression in response. Multiple two-component systems could function as a combinatorial sensor to discriminate environmental conditions. A combinatorial sensor is composed of a set of sensors that are non-specifically activated to different magnitudes by many stimuli, such that their collective activity pattern defines the signal. Using promoter reporters and flow cytometry, we measured the response of three two-component systems in Escherichia coli that have been previously reported to respond to many environmental stimuli (EnvZ/OmpR, CpxA/CpxR, and RcsC/RcsD/RcsB). A chemical library was screened for the ability to activate the sensors and 13 inducers were identified that produce different patterns of sensor activity. The activities of the three systems are uncorrelated with each other and the osmolarity of the inducing media. Five of the seven possible non-trivial patterns generated by three sensors are observed. This data demonstrate one mechanism by which bacteria are able to use a limited set of sensors to identify a diverse set of compounds and environmental conditions. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011; 108:666–675. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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