Reconstruction of Causal Networks by Set Covering

not submitted. Designing and building synthetic signal transduction circuitry in yeast Stephen Checkley Manchester The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae possesses an intracellular signal transduction pathway enabling this organism to initiate a developmental response upon detection of a peptide mating pheromone. This developmental response is the focus of this study. The project aims to modify the natural mating response such that it activates an orthogonal, tuneable synthetic gene circuit designed to produce a quantifiable marker of activity. The organism can then be used as a synthetic biosensor to detect a range of compounds with biotechnology and pharmaceutical application. The project utilizes a combination of standard molecular biology wet lab techniques to construct the interacting genetic components, coupled with dry mathematical modelling techniques to design and optimise the genetic circuitry. The project utilizes an iterative process of design, implementation, and optimization to facilitate a synthetic biology approach to building gene circuits. Adaptive evolution in the Pseudomonas fluorescens Wsp signalling pathway