<br>Much as excessive signal levels can destroy a radio transmitter, excessive genetic expression can cause damage in living systems.  While cells are usually well-equipped to modulate their own transcriptional behavior, an investigation into pathological gene expression indicates that many situations arise wherein the expected regulatory response fails.  Our device is designed to augment endogenous gene regulatory pathways.</br>   

 

While still an ongoing debate, there is increasingly more evidence that yeast have apoptosis as well (Frohlich et al., 2007).  Despite the fact that apoptosis seems to make most sense in a multicellular context, the organisms nonetheless show signs characteristic of a programmed cell death.  In fact, much research about apoptotic pathways from mammals can be conducted in yeast, due to the fact that many of the genes and pathways present in mammals share homology to those found in yeast.  Given this promising range of homology, one might consider first applying the regulatory approach discussed above for mammals in a yeast framework.  A limiter device in yeast could also serve as a useful tool for understanding important nodes in the apoptotic network.

 

1. Frohlich et al. Yeast apoptosis—From genes to pathways. ''Seminars in Cancer Biology'' 17 (2007) 112–121

 

 

2. Toledo and Wahl, Regulating the p53 pathway:in vitro hypotheses, in vivo veritas, ''Nature Reviews'' vol 6. 2006