Team:UC Chile/Cyanolux/Project

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(Created page with "{{UC_Chile4}} <h1>Main Goal</h1> <p>Natural cycles have always fascinated mankind, probably due to the mysterious mechanisms involved in them and the power they exert in our ev...")
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<h1>Main Goal</h1>
<h1>Main Goal</h1>
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<p>Natural cycles have always fascinated mankind, probably due to the mysterious mechanisms involved in them and the power they exert in our everyday life. Since the dawn of synthetic biology, engineering oscillatory systems has been a recurrent topic, being Ellowitz's represillator a classical example. Nevertheless, to date no iGEM team has accomplished the implementation of a robust oscillatory system. That will be our challenge for this year's iGEM project.</p>
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<p>Natural cycles have always fascinated mankind, probably due to the mysterious mechanisms involved in them and the power they exert in our everyday life. Since the dawn of synthetic biology, engineering oscillatory systems has been a recurrent topic, being Ellowitz's repressilator a classical example. Nevertheless, to date no iGEM team has accomplished the implementation of a robust oscillatory system. That will be our challenge for this year's iGEM project.</p>
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<p>To reach our goal we designed a synthethic circuit that links to the endogenous circadian rhythm of <i>Synechocystis PCC6803.</i> As a proof of concept we are going to engineer the first light-rechargeable biological lamp: <i>Synechocystis PCC 6803</i> cells that emit light only by night while recovering and producing the substrates in the day.<b> We strongly believe</b> this will serve as an enabling tool to any project requiring time control over a biological behaviour independently of the user's input.</p>
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<p>To reach our goal we designed a synthethic circuit that links to the endogenous circadian rhythm of <i>Synechocystis PCC6803.</i> As a proof of concept we are going to engineer the first light-rechargeable biological lamp: <i>Synechocystis PCC 6803</i> cells that emit light only by night while recovering and producing the substrates during the day.<b> We strongly believe</b> this will serve as an enabling tool to any project requiring time control over a biological behaviour independently of the user's input.</p>
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<html><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2012/2/2c/Synecultureex_uc_chile.jpg" width="290" align="right" style ="margin-left:15px"></html>
<html><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2012/2/2c/Synecultureex_uc_chile.jpg" width="290" align="right" style ="margin-left:15px"></html>
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<p>Cyanobacteria are prokaryotic photoautotrophs and they are believed to be the only group of organisms to
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<p>Cyanobacteria are prokaryotic photoautotrophs and they are believed to have
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evolve oxygenic photosynthesis about 2.4 billion years ago [[#1|1]]. Although this biochemical breakthrough can’t
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evolved oxygenic photosynthesis about 2.4 billion years ago [[#1|1]]. Although this biochemical breakthrough can not
be understated, several cyanobacteria species also play a crucial role in the planet nitrogen cycle as marine
be understated, several cyanobacteria species also play a crucial role in the planet nitrogen cycle as marine
diazotrophs [[#2|2]]. Cyanobacteria are found almost in every environment in earth´s surface and interestingly, they
diazotrophs [[#2|2]]. Cyanobacteria are found almost in every environment in earth´s surface and interestingly, they
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<p><i>Synechocystis PCC6803</i> is a gram negative non-filamentous cyanobacteria and it was the third
<p><i>Synechocystis PCC6803</i> is a gram negative non-filamentous cyanobacteria and it was the third
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prokaryote and the first photoautotroph whose genome was sequenced. Consequently, is has become a model organism as its genetic background has been widely studied.</p>
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prokaryote and the first photoautotroph whose genome was sequenced. Consequently, it has become a model organism as its genetic background has been widely studied.</p>
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<p>While aware of these practical applications, we (UC_Chile) are particulary interested in the well
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<p>While aware of these practical applications, we (UC_Chile) are particularly interested in the well
characterized circadian behavior of this chassis [[#7|7]] and its implications. There are several
characterized circadian behavior of this chassis [[#7|7]] and its implications. There are several
genes known to oscillate in a daily basis, most of them related to respiration, photosynthesis and energy
genes known to oscillate in a daily basis, most of them related to respiration, photosynthesis and energy
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<p>Lastly, there are a lot of biobricks designed especially for <i>Synechocystis</i> or from its genome´s
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<p>Lastly, there are a lot of biobricks designed especially for <i>Synechocystis</i> or derived from its genetic information by previous iGEM teams (references). However, sadly no one has characterized them in this chassis and the registry lacks a set of tools for its transformation with standard biological parts. Moreover, to our
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sequence by previous iGEM teams (references) but sadly no one has ever characterized them in this chassis
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and the registry lacks a set of tools for its transformation with standard biological parts. Moreover, to our
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knowledge, no iGEM team has ever accomplished a successful direct <i>Synechocystis</i> transformation with naked DNA.</p>
knowledge, no iGEM team has ever accomplished a successful direct <i>Synechocystis</i> transformation with naked DNA.</p>
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Revision as of 19:21, 26 September 2012

Project: Luxilla - Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, iGEM 2012