Progress Towards the Development of G-Protein Coupled Receptor Based Logic Gates

Abstract

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae along with the bacterium Escherichia coli have been popular model organisms for the creation or modification of chemical producing or chemical sensing strains. Yeast has been used to express G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), seven-transmembrane cell-surface receptors found in eukaryotes responsible for the detection toxins, pheromones, drugs, nutrients, and light. GPCRs have been used in the development of biosensors in yeast through the use of the signaling cascades, such as the endogenous yeast mating pathway and the heterologous cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) cascades. Use of two cascades simultaneously would allow for the creation of complex logic gates in yeast. Development of logic gates in yeast would allow for the detection of multiple chemicals by a single yeast cell. Here I present work toward the development of logic gates in yeast through the use of an engineered yeast mating pathway and a heterologous mammalian cAMP cascade.