KAIST Develops a Genetic Switch That Works in Both Bacteria and Yeast (IMAGE)
Caption
Figure 2. Schematic of the features and applications of a hybrid promoter system that functions in both yeast and bacteria
(Top) Core promoter elements from yeast and bacteria, together with host-compatible translation initiation elements, are assembled in a modular fashion to design hybrid promoters that function across phylogenetically distant hosts. This modular architecture allows a single gene expression system to be transferred across diverse microbial hosts.
(Top left) The hybrid promoter system developed in this study allows the same design to be applied to multiple hosts without redesigning the gene expression system each time the host changes. Expression systems can therefore be validated rapidly and their performance can be compared across diverse hosts.
(Top right) Conventional host-specific promoter systems require a suitable promoter to be selected and designed separately for each host, because promoter activity remains host-dependent. Design and validation therefore proceed host by host, consuming considerable time and resources.
(Middle left) The hybrid promoters maintain a consistent relative promoter strength hierarchy, from weak to strong, across phylogenetically distant hosts. The same expression system can therefore be applied to multiple hosts, allowing expression performance and compound production to be compared directly between them.
(Middle right) With conventional promoters, both expression strength and the strength hierarchy can vary between hosts even when the same promoter is used. The promoter must therefore be redesigned whenever the host changes, and suitable combinations screened host by host.
(Bottom left) Applying a single expression design across diverse hosts and comparing performance rapidly shortens the design-build-test-learn cycle for metabolic pathways. This enables a more efficient search for the gene combination and microbial host best suited to producing a target compound, and for optimizing the pathway.
(Bottom right) The optimized metabolic pathway can then be scaled up for production of the target compound and applied to biomanufacturing processes. The system is expected to be used in biofoundries to design and compare diverse microbial cell factories rapidly, and to develop production processes for pharmaceuticals, eco-friendly materials, high-value compounds, and other products.
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KAIST
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