Synthetic Biology approaches to engineer/mine novel regulatory elements in Bacteria

• Grant number: 16/05472-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: September 01, 2016
• End date: August 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Rafael Silva Rocha
• Grantee: Cauã Antunes Westmann
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 12/22921-8 - Synthetic Biology approaches for deciphering the logic of signal integration in complex bacterial promoters, AP.JP
• Associated scholarship(s): 17/16783-5 - Combining in silico and in vivo approaches for understanding the evolution of transcription factor binding sites in Escherichia coli, BE.EP.MS

Abstract

Despite the rapid expansion of Synthetic biology over the last decade, the field is being greatly limited by an informational bottleneck concerning biological data. Thus, it becomes essential to explore new molecular models from the perspective of the interrelationship between its components and the logic that emerges from these relationships in the system. In this context, this project proposes the study of the regulatory system of gene expression, a crucial mechanism for any organism that modulates its response to various stimuli. The main approach will be based on Escherichia coli studies under the panorama provided by Synthetic Biology. Synthetic promoter libraries will be assembled by random combination of operator sequences regarding two global transcription factors: FIS and IHF. The behaviour of the constructions will be analysed by fluorescence in single cells and populations, allowing a deeper insight into the architecture of complex promoters and their intrinsic logic. The expected results have great potential in elucidating the process of signals integration in complex promoters, allowing the transposition of the system`s logic into various biotechnological applications.

Scientific publications

(13)

(The scientific publications listed on this page originate from the Web of Science or SciELO databases. Their authors have cited FAPESP grant or fellowship project numbers awarded to Principal Investigators or Fellowship Recipients, whether or not they are among the authors. This information is collected automatically and retrieved directly from those bibliometric databases.)

NORA, LUISA CZAMANSKI; WESTMANN, CAUA ANTUNES; MARTINS-SANTANA, LEONARDO; ALVES, LUANA DE FATIMA; OLIVEIRA MONTEIRO, LUMMY MARIA; GUAZZARONI, MARIA-EUGENIA; SILVA-ROCHA, RAFAEL. The art of vector engineering: towards the construction of next-generation genetic tools. MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY, v. 12, n. 1, p. 125-147, JAN 2019. (16/19179-9, 17/17924-1, 16/06323-4, 16/05472-6, 16/03763-3, 15/04309-1, 12/22921-8)

OLIVEIRA MONTEIRO, LUMMY MARIA; SANCHES-MEDEIROS, ANANDA; WESTMANN, CAUA ANTUNES; SILVA-ROCHA, RAFAEL. Unraveling the Complex Interplay of Fis and IHF Through Synthetic Promoter Engineering. FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, v. 8, JUN 18 2020. (18/04810-0, 12/22921-8, 16/05472-6, 16/19179-9, 17/50116-6)

ALVES, LUANA DE FATIMA; BORELLI, TIAGO CABRAL; WESTMANN, CAUA ANTUNES; SILVA-ROCHA, RAFAEL; GUAZZARONI, MARIA-EUGENIA. Boundaries in metagenomic screenings using lacZ alpha-based vectors. GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, v. 43, n. 1, 2020. (15/04309-1, 16/05472-6, 17/20818-9, 16/06323-4)

ALVES, LUANA DE FATIMA; WESTMANN, CAUA ANTUNES; LOVATE, GABRIEL LENCIONI; VIANA DE SIQUEIRA, GUILHERME MARCELINO; BORELLI, TIAGO CABRAL; GUAZZARONI, MARIA-EUGENIA. Metagenomic Approaches for Understanding New Concepts in Microbial Science. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GENOMICS, v. 2018, p. 15-pg., 2018-01-01. (17/20818-9, 16/05472-6, 16/06323-4, 15/04309-1)

WESTMANN, CAUA A.; ALVES, LUANA DE FATIMA; SILVA-ROCHA, RAFAEL; GUAZZARONI, MARIA-EUGENIA. Mining Novel Constitutive Promoter Elements in Soil Metagenomic Libraries in Escherichia coli. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, v. 9, JUN 20 2018. (16/06323-4, 15/04309-1, 16/05472-6)

WESTMANN, CAUA ANTUNES; GUAZZARONI, MARA-EUGENIA; SILVA-ROCHA, RAFAEL. Engineering Complexity in Bacterial Regulatory Circuits for Biotechnological Applications. MSYSTEMS, v. 3, n. 2, SI, MAR-APR 2018. (15/04309-1, 16/05472-6, 12/22921-8)

ALVES, LUANA DE FATIMA; WESTMANN, CAUA ANTUNES; LOVATE, GABRIEL LENCIONI; VIANA DE SIQUEIRA, GUILHERME MARCELINO; BORELLI, TIAGO CABRAL; GUAZZARONI, MARIA-EUGENIA. Metagenomic Approaches for Understanding New Concepts in Microbial Science. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GENOMICS, 2018. (16/06323-4, 15/04309-1, 16/05472-6, 17/20818-9)

LUANA DE FÁTIMA ALVES; TIAGO CABRAL BORELLI; CAUÃ ANTUNES WESTMANN; RAFAEL SILVA-ROCHA; MARÍA-EUGENIA GUAZZARONI. Boundaries in metagenomic screenings using lacZα-based vectors. GENETICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, v. 43, n. 1, 2020-03-06. (16/06323-4, 17/20818-9, 16/05472-6, 15/04309-1)

NORA, LUISA CZAMANSKI; WESTMANN, CAUA ANTUNES; GUAZZARONI, MARIA-EUGENIA; SIDDAIAH, CHANDRANAYAKA; GUPTA, VIJAI KUMAR; SILVA-ROCHA, RAFAEL. Recent advances in plasmid-based tools for establishing novel microbial chassis. BIOTECHNOLOGY ADVANCES, v. 37, n. 8, DEC 2019. (16/03763-3, 15/04309-1, 16/05472-6, 12/22921-8)

ALVES, LUANA DE FATIMA; MELEIRO, LUANA PARRAS; SILVA, ROBERTO N.; WESTMANN, CAUA ANTUNES; GUAZZARONI, MARIA-EUGENIA. Novel Ethanol- and 5-Hydroxymethyl Furfural-Stimulated beta-Glucosidase Retrieved From a Brazilian Secondary Atlantic Forest Soil Metagenome. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, v. 9, OCT 29 2018. (16/05472-6, 15/04309-1, 16/06323-4, 16/17582-0)

ALVES, LUANA DE FATIMA; MELEIRO, LUANA PARRAS; SILVA, ROBERTO N.; WESTMANN, CAUA ANTUNES; GUAZZARONI, MARIA-EUGENIA. Novel Ethanol- and 5-Hydroxymethyl Furfural-Stimulated β-Glucosidase Retrieved From a Brazilian Secondary Atlantic Forest Soil Metagenome. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, v. 9, p. 17-pg., 2018-10-29. (15/04309-1, 16/05472-6, 16/17582-0, 16/06323-4)

NORA, LUISA CZAMANSKI; WESTMANN, CAUA ANTUNES; MARTINS-SANTANA, LEONARDO; ALVES, LUANA DE FATIMA; OLIVEIRA MONTEIRO, LUMMY MARIA; GUAZZARONI, MARIA-EUGENIA; SILVA-ROCHA, RAFAEL. The art of vector engineering: towards the construction of next-generation genetic tools. MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY, v. 12, n. 1, p. 23-pg., 2019-01-01. (16/05472-6, 16/06323-4, 17/17924-1, 16/19179-9, 16/03763-3, 12/22921-8, 15/04309-1)

WESTMANN, CAUA ANTUNES; GUAZZARONI, MARA-EUGENIA; SILVA-ROCHA, RAFAEL. Engineering Complexity in Bacterial Regulatory Circuits for Biotechnological Applications. MSYSTEMS, v. 3, n. 2, p. 4-pg., 2018-03-01. (16/05472-6, 12/22921-8, 15/04309-1)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

WESTMANN, Cauã Antunes. A multiscale approach for exploring bacterial transcriptional systems. 2018. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC) Ribeirão Preto.