UCLA Engineers Develop Programmable Synthetic Genes for Self-Assembling Structures

Researchers from UCLA and the University of Rome Tor Vergata have created synthetic genes that mimic the function of natural genes in living cells. These artificial genes can construct intracellular structures through a cascading sequence, building self-assembling structures piece by piece. The approach is analogous to constructing modular furniture, allowing for the creation of various structures using the same basic components.

The study, published in Nature Communications, was led by Elisa Franco who explained, "Our work suggests a way toward scaling up the complexity of biomolecular materials by taking advantage of the timing of molecular instructions for self-assembly, rather than by increasing the number of molecules carrying such instructions. This points to the exciting possibility of generating distinct materials that can spontaneously ‘develop’ from the same finite set of parts by simply rewiring the elements that control the temporal order of assembly."

The researchers used DNA tiles as building blocks, which interact to form micron-scale tubular structures in the presence of specific RNA triggers. They then programmed synthetic genes to produce these RNA triggers at precise times, allowing for controlled formation and dissolution of the DNA structures.

This approach creates a synthetic genetic cascade similar to those found in nature, such as the gene cascade controlling body segment formation in fruit flies. The system can control not only when certain DNA structures form or dissolve but also their specific compositional properties at a given time.

Daniela Sorrentino, the study's first author, noted that this approach could be extended to other materials and systems relying on the timing of biochemical signals. "By coordinating these signals, we can assign different functions to the same components, creating materials that spontaneously evolve from the same parts.”