Synthetic biology, a new and exciting field of biological engineering, investigates how we can re-programme cellular components in a bottom-up approach, building new biological systems from existing and altered parts. An incredible array of creations have sprung to life over the relatively short period since the field’s inception, particularly thanks to the international Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. One classic example of such a device is the genetic toggle switch, whose workings I’ll explain here.
The Genetic Toggle Switch — Joshua Williams
Genetics Society UCL 