Team:Alberta

From 2012.igem.org

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Welcome to the 2012 Alberta iGEM team Wiki!
 
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This wiki is still under construction, and as such may contain missing pages or information. Do not grieve, we are still working on expanding it.
 
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This wiki is still under construction, and as such may contain missing pages or information. Do not grieve, we are still working on expanding it.
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As a young team composed of high schoolers and junior undergraduates, we selected a project aimed at giving ourselves a firm understanding in the fundamentals of genetic engineering and control. The end goal of our project was to create spatial color patterns using bacteria, such as a color wheel and a rainbow, that required control over several color outputs in response to spatial gradients of chemical inducers. Colour gradients were achieved using a high-copy plasmid that contained both an inducible colour gene and its corresponding repressor. Colour banding was achieved by a novel means of adjusting gene expression through plasmid copy number control that varied from 0 to ~1000 copies/cell as a function of inducer concentration. Note that the rapid loss of plasmid that occurs in the absence of inducer also constitutes a novel and extremely effective safety switch for genetically engineered organisms which might enter the environment.
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What can we do with synthetic biology, and how easily can we do it? We picked a straightforward test: making and combining gradients of color to create patterns such as a rainbow and a color wheel. Doing this would require gaining control over several color outputs in a smoothly varying manner, and being able to pattern the inputs to create the pattern desired. Achieving this would demonstrate a degree of fine control over engineered organisms.
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We used and improved the great colors from Uppsala 2011 as outputs. We first tried putting them under IPTG control, which was successful, but the dynamic range was disappointing. Next we developed and tested a means of controlling copy number, which allowed us to both increase the dynamic range of control, and also create a permanently settable switch through plasmid loss. (Incidentally, this could make a great safety switch for environmental release.) Finally, we designed a system that would use these parts to create a rainbow of color, although we didn’t have time to finish putting the pieces together.
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Top achievements
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<li>Developed and tested methods of measuring diffusion coefficients in agar plates
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<li>Improved Uppsala color parts by designing new RBSes and contributing nonavailable DNA
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<li>Created single color gradients on plates with outputs under IPTG and ATC gradient control
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<li>Designed and tested copy number control plasmids using IPTG and ATC
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Revision as of 00:31, 2 October 2012

   Team Alberta




 Towards a Microbial Color Wheel: Spatial Control of Gene Expression


rinbow picture This wiki is still under construction, and as such may contain missing pages or information. Do not grieve, we are still working on expanding it.


Concept

What can we do with synthetic biology, and how easily can we do it? We picked a straightforward test: making and combining gradients of color to create patterns such as a rainbow and a color wheel. Doing this would require gaining control over several color outputs in a smoothly varying manner, and being able to pattern the inputs to create the pattern desired. Achieving this would demonstrate a degree of fine control over engineered organisms.

Approach

We used and improved the great colors from Uppsala 2011 as outputs. We first tried putting them under IPTG control, which was successful, but the dynamic range was disappointing. Next we developed and tested a means of controlling copy number, which allowed us to both increase the dynamic range of control, and also create a permanently settable switch through plasmid loss. (Incidentally, this could make a great safety switch for environmental release.) Finally, we designed a system that would use these parts to create a rainbow of color, although we didn’t have time to finish putting the pieces together.

Top achievements

  1. Developed and tested methods of measuring diffusion coefficients in agar plates
  2. Improved Uppsala color parts by designing new RBSes and contributing nonavailable DNA
  3. Created single color gradients on plates with outputs under IPTG and ATC gradient control
  4. Designed and tested copy number control plasmids using IPTG and ATC </font>

    2012 Sponsors
                    Alberta innovates             Geneious             IDT

                    NEB             OSLI             U oF A

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