Electronic Circuit Analog of Synthetic Genetic Networks: Revisited

TL;DR

This paper presents an improved electronic analog circuit model of synthetic genetic networks, including the Repressilator, enabling experimental exploration of complex dynamical behaviors and noise effects in genetic systems.

Contribution

An enhanced electronic circuit design that accurately mimics genetic network dynamics, including multistability and coupling, with parameter conversions and initial condition control.

Findings

Circuit successfully replicates genetic network behaviors

Allows systematic study of initial conditions and multistability

Extends to coupled Repressilators revealing complex dynamics

Abstract

Electronic circuits are useful tools for studying potential dynamical behaviors of synthetic genetic networks. The circuit models are complementary to numerical simulations of the networks, especially providing a framework for verification of dynamical behaviors in the presence of intrinsic and extrinsic noise of the electrical systems. Here we present an improved version of our previous design of an electronic analog of genetic networks that includes the 3-gene Repressilator and we show conversions between model parameters and real circuit component values to mimic the numerical results in experiments. Important features of the circuit design include the incorporation of chemical kinetics representing Hill function inhibition, quorum sensing coupling, and additive noise. Especially, we make a circuit design for a systematic change of initial conditions in experiment, which is critically important for studies of dynamical systems' behavior, particularly, when it shows multistability. This improved electronic analog of the synthetic genetic network allows us to extend our investigations from an isolated Repressilator to coupled Repressilators and to reveal the dynamical behavior's complexity.