Detection of MicroRNAs Using Synthetic Toehold Switch in Mammalian Cells.

Engineering synthetic gene circuits to control cellular functions has a broad application in the field of synthetic biology. Synthetic RNA-based switches that can operate at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional level have also drawn significant interest for the application of next-generation therapeutics and diagnostics. Thus, RNA-based switchable platforms are needed to report dynamic cellular mechanisms which play an important role in cell development and diseases. Recently, several RNA-based switches have been designed and utilized for biosensing and molecular diagnostics. However, miRNA-based switches have not been well established or characterized, especially for eukaryotic translational control. Here, we designed a novel synthetic toehold switch for detection of exogenously and endogenously expressed miRNAs in CHO, HeLa, HEK 293, and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Multiplex detection of miR-155 and miR-21 was tested using two toehold switches to evaluate the orthogonality and programmability of this synthetic platform.

U.S. cereal rye winter cover crop growth database.

Winter cover crop performance metrics (i.e., vegetative biomass quantity and quality) affect ecosystem services provisions, but they vary widely due to differences in agronomic practices, soil properties, and climate. Cereal rye (Secale cereale) is the most common winter cover crop in the United States due to its winter hardiness, low seed cost, and high biomass production. We compiled data on cereal rye winter cover crop performance metrics, agronomic practices, and soil properties across the eastern half of the United States. The dataset includes a total of 5,695 cereal rye biomass observations across 208 site-years between 2001-2022 and encompasses a wide range of agronomic, soils, and climate conditions. Cereal rye biomass values had a mean of 3,428 kg ha-1, a median of 2,458 kg ha-1, and a standard deviation of 3,163 kg ha-1. The data can be used for empirical analyses, to calibrate, validate, and evaluate process-based models, and to develop decision support tools for management and policy decisions.