Methods and systems for generating complex spatial patterns

A synthetic gene circuit for modeling complex patterns comprising:

• a first plasmid comprising:
• a first hybrid promoter, wherein the first hybrid promoter is activated by a first gene and inhibited by a second gene;
• a second hybrid promoter, wherein the second hybrid promoter is activated by a third gene and inhibited by a fourth gene;
• a first reporter gene, wherein the second hybrid promoter drives the expression of the first reporter gene;
• and
• a first combination of genes comprising the first gene, the fourth gene, and a first autoinducer synthase gene;
• and
• a second plasmid comprising:
• a third hybrid promoter, wherein the third hybrid promoter is activated by the first gene and inhibited by the second gene;
• a fourth hybrid promoter, wherein the fourth hybrid promoter is activated by the third gene and inhibited by the fourth gene;
• a second reporter gene, wherein the third hybrid promoter drives the expression of the second reporter gene;
• and
• a second combination of genes comprising the second gene, the third gene, and a second autoinducer synthase gene,
• wherein:
• the first hybrid promoter and the third hybrid promoter are the same hybrid promoters;
• the second hybrid promoter and the fourth hybrid promoter are the same hybrid promoters;
• the first reporter gene and the second reporter gene are different,
• the first autoinducer synthase gene and the second autoinducer synthase gene are different,
• the product of the first autoinducer synthase gene forms a complex with the product of the first gene to activate the first hybrid promoter and the third hybrid promoter, and
• the product of the second autoinducer synthase gene forms a complex with the product of the third gene to activate the second hybrid promoter and the fourth hybrid promoter.

A method of generating an expression pattern of a first reporter gene, the method comprising:

• introducing into a cell a synthetic gene circuit comprising a first plasmid and a second plasmid to produce an altered cell, wherein:
• the first plasmid comprises:
• a first hybrid promoter, wherein the first hybrid promoter is activated by a first gene and inhibited by a second gene;
• a second hybrid promoter, wherein the second hybrid promoter is activated by a third gene and inhibited by a fourth gene;
• the first reporter gene, wherein the second hybrid promoter drives the expression of the first reporter gene;
• and
• a first combination of genes comprising the first gene, the fourth gene, and a first autoinducer synthase gene;
• and
• the second plasmid comprises:
• a third hybrid promoter, wherein the third hybrid promoter is activated by the first gene and inhibited by the second gene;
• a fourth hybrid promoter, wherein the fourth hybrid promoter is activated by the third gene and inhibited by the fourth gene;
• a second reporter gene, wherein the third hybrid promoter drives the expression of the second reporter gene;
• and
• a second combination of genes comprising the second gene, the third gene, and a second autoinducer synthase gene;
• wherein:
• the first hybrid promoter and the third hybrid promoter are the same hybrid promoters;
• the second hybrid promoter and the fourth hybrid promoter are the same hybrid promoters;
• the first reporter gene and the second reporter gene are different;
• the first autoinducer synthase gene and the second autoinducer synthase gene are different;
• the product of the first autoinducer synthase gene forms a complex with the product of the first gene to activate the first hybrid promoter and the third hybrid promoter;
• and
• the product of the second autoinducer synthase gene forms a complex with the product of the third gene to activate the second hybrid promoter and the fourth hybrid promoter;
• and
• providing to the altered cell a first inducer compound, wherein the first inducer compound is the inducer for the second autoinducer synthase gene.