基因电路是波士顿大学生物医学工程师科林斯(J.Collins)的研究组在2000年设计了触发器开关功能的基因电路,研制出一种“套环开关”,所选择的细胞功能可随意开关。
它们还能帮助研究人员设计出细胞中的人工基因电路。
They may also help researchers to design synthetic genetic circuits in cells.
这类电路的一个潜在的强大应用是:用于遗传网络建模——基因和蛋白质的交互作用控制着细胞的功能和命运。
One potentially powerful application of such circuits is in modeling genetic network — the interplay of genes and proteins that controls a cell's function and fate.
另外,他还研究电路设计原则究竟怎样帮助基因工程细胞发挥有用功能,例如,对于环境毒素的强大而敏感的检测。
He is also investigating how circuit design principles can help genetically engineer cells to perform useful functions, for example, the robust and sensitive detection of toxins in the environment.
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