Abstract - Synthetic gene circuits are a new biotechnological framework for the generation of organisms harbouring user-defined gene expression patterns and other genetic functions. These circuits are analogous to circuits found in electronic devices, however they are composed of interacting biological parts such as DNA, RNA and proteins. While synthetic genetic logic gates have been developed for microorganisms and cultured animal cells, development of such systems in plants has been limited by the availability of orthogonal and modular biological parts required for their construction. Here, we present the construction of CRISPRi-based synthetic gene circuits for plant systems that can be easily reconfigured in a programmable manner for controlling diverse plant pathways.

Biography - Adil Khan completed his PhD at the University of Western Australia under the supervision of Prof. Ryan Lister. Adil is continuing as a postdoctoral researcher with Prof. Lister to further expand the gene circuit tool-kit he developed during his PhD.