Synthetic multistability in mammalian cells

In multicellular organisms, gene regulatory circuits generate thousands of molecularly distinct, mitotically heritable states through the property of multistability. Designing synthetic muftistable circuits would provide insight into natural cell fate control circuit architectures and would allow engineering of mufticellular programs that require interactions among distinct cell types. We created MultiFate, a naturally inspired, synthetic circuit that supports long-term, controllable, and expandable multistability in mammalian cells. MultiFate uses engineered zinc finger transcription factors that transcriptionally self-activate as homodimers and mutually inhibit one another through heterodimerization. Using a model-based design, we engineered MuftiFate circuits that generate as many as seven states, each stable for at least 18 days. MultiFate permits controlled state switching and modulation of state stability through external inputs and can be expanded with additional transcription factors. These results provide a foundation for engineering multicellular behaviors in mammalian cells.

Automated summary

This study explores synthetic circuits that generate multiple stable states, providing insights into natural cell fate control circuit structures and enabling engineering of multicellular programs requiring interactions among distinct cell types.