Analysis and Design of Novel In Vitro Bistable Toggle Switches
Author:
Ishan KhetarpalMentors:
- Dan Siegal-Gaskins, Postdoctoral Scholar in Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology
- Richard Murray, Thomas E. and Doris Everhart Professor of Control and Dynamical Systems and Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology
Bistability is a mathematical property observed in many systems, including biocircuits with a great array of applications. A recent analytical paper predicts several biocircuits which theoretically should exhibit bistability. These predictions include the Gardner toggle switch and a derivative of it with only one multimeric inhibitor protein. This study explored the parameter space of the Gardner toggle switch computationally, and recreated it experimentally under various conditions to verify the analysis. Further, through protein engineering, a monomeric inhibitor protein was designed for use in the design of the one-arm toggle switch. The properties of this inhibitor were characterized.