Team:Northwestern/Notebook/WeekThree

From 2012.igem.org

Week Three - 1 July to 7 July

Monday

Yuan started making another batch of super competent cells using the same top10 protocol as before.
Grant continued research regarding stochastic promoters and random systems of activation.

Tuesday

Yuan found an antiport chloride and hydrogen ion pump that responds to high extracellular hydrogen ion concentration by pumping hydrogen ions out of the cell against the gradient and pumping chloride ions into the cell. Coupling this part to the Pgad promoter, which detects intracellular chloride ion concentration, should allow for a pH sensitive promoter to be made. At low pH’s the Pgad promoter will turn on while at higher pH’s it will turn off.

Yuan continued making the top10 cells using the same protocol

Grant continued research bistable switches

Wednesday

Yuan continued making the top10 cells using the same protocol

Friday

Tried finalizing the list of parts and ordering them, however, some questions regarding the efficiency of the pH promoter system(proton/chloride antiporter combined with Pgad promoter) made us hesitant to pull the trigger.

The plan is to talk to the advisors during the meeting on monday, finalize everything, and then order the parts in the afternoon after the meeting.