Synthetic Chromatin Regulators and Circuits in Mammalian Cells

Modifications to chromatin play key roles in regulating gene expression and other cellular functions. Certain modifications are also associated with epigenetic mechanisms that may be important in maintaining gene expression and cellular states. While synthetic approaches have been used to study and engineer a wide variety of biological regulatory networks, less has been done with chromatin-based systems. Here, we develop a new toolkit of synthetic chromatin regulators in mammalian cells. We use these to engineer a variety of chromatin-based regulatory circuits, including circuits that drive and maintain gene expression. The additional layers of regulation offered by chromatin provide opportunities for engineering new and complex cellular behaviors in mammalian systems.