Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39938795›Full record

ArticleJournal of advanced research2025

Synthetic tunable promoters for flexible control of multi-gene expression in mammalian cells.

Zong-Heng Fu, Si Cheng, Jia-Wei Li, Nan Zhang, Yi Wu, Guang-Rong Zhao

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of advanced research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Zong-Heng FuState Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Frontiers Research Institute for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
Si ChengState Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Frontiers Research Institute for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
Jia-Wei LiState Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Frontiers Research Institute for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
Nan ZhangState Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Frontiers Research Institute for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
Yi WuState Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Frontiers Research Institute for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China. Electronic address: yi.wu@tju.edu.cn.
Guang-Rong ZhaoState Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Frontiers Research Institute for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China. Electronic address: grzhao@tju.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionSynthetic biology revolutionizes our ability to decode and recode genetic systems. The capability to reconstruct and flexibly manipulate multi-gene systems is critical for understanding cellular behaviors and has significant applications in therapeutics.

objectivesThis study aims to construct a diverse library of synthetic tunable promoters (STPs) to enable flexible control of multi-gene expression in mammalian cells.

methodsWe designed and constructed synthetic tunable promoters (STPs) that incorporate both a universal activation site (UAS) and a specific activation site (SAS), enabling multi-level expression control via the CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) system. To evaluate promoter activity, we utilized Massively Parallel Reporter Assays (MPRA) to assess the basal strengths of the STPs and their activation responses. Next, we constructed a three-gene reporter system to assess the capacity of the synthetic promoters for achieving multilevel control of single-gene expression within multi-gene systems.

resultsThe promoter library contains 24,960 unique non-redundant promoters with distinct sequence characteristics. MPRA revealed a wide range of promoter activities, showing different basal strengths and distinct activation levels when activated by the CRISPRa system. When regulated by targeting the SAS, the STPs exhibited orthogonality, allowing multilevel control of single-gene expression within multi-gene systems without cross-interference. Furthermore, the combinatorial activation of STPs in a multi-gene system enlarged the scope of expression levels achievable, providing fine-tuned control over gene expression.

conclusionWe provide a diverse collection of synthetic tunable promoters, offering a valuable toolkit for the construction and manipulation of multi-gene systems in mammalian cells, with applications in gene therapy and biotechnology.

Indexed as

Gene Expression RegulationPromoter Regions, GeneticSynthetic BiologyAnimalsCRISPR-Cas SystemsGenes, ReporterHEK293 CellsHumansCRISPR activationMammalian cellsMulti-gene expressionSynthetic promoterTunability

Identifiers

PMID39938795
PMCPMC12684930

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.