Engineering multicellular traits in synthetic microbial populations

Without cell-to-cell communication, the organization and regulation of specialized cell types that underpin the development and physiology of multicellular organisms would be impossible. In nature, unicellular microbes have also been shown to display multicellular-like traits, such as intercellular communication, division of labor, and cooperative coordination of cellular activities. Likewise, the incorporation of artificial cell-to-cell communication into genetic circuit designs is enabling synthetic biologists to move from programming single cells towards the engineering of population-level behaviors and functions, such as diversification, spatial organization, synchronization, and coordinated information processing. The disciplined engineering goal of routinely building complex genetic circuits from well-characterized modules still poses challenges, owing to reusability and input–output matching problems resulting from information transfer being mediated through diffusible molecules. Optogenetic interfaces between circuits are considered as a possible solution.

► Synthetic microbial populations can be programmed to exhibit multicellular traits. ► Engineered populations can diversify, spatially organize, or synchronize. ► Microbial consortia can cooperatively assemble structures or process information. ► Reusability and input–output matching problems hinder routine circuit connections. ► Optical circuit interfaces may open new possibilities for programming populations.