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Team:TU-Delft
From 2012.igem.org
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<strong style="font-size:120%;">Snifferomyces:Yeast with a sense of smell</strong> | <strong style="font-size:120%;">Snifferomyces:Yeast with a sense of smell</strong> | ||
<p>G-protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) form a remarkable modular system that allows transmission of a wide variety of signals over the cell membrane, between cells and over long distances in the human body. The GPCRs mediate a flow of information that tells the inside of cells about the conditions on their outside, which includes signals from neurotransmitters (such as adrenaline and dopamine), hormones (such as follicle stimulating hormone, which helps control ovulation), and even light in our eyes and smell molecules in our noses, thus acting as both the gatekeepers and molecular messengers of the cell.</p> | <p>G-protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) form a remarkable modular system that allows transmission of a wide variety of signals over the cell membrane, between cells and over long distances in the human body. The GPCRs mediate a flow of information that tells the inside of cells about the conditions on their outside, which includes signals from neurotransmitters (such as adrenaline and dopamine), hormones (such as follicle stimulating hormone, which helps control ovulation), and even light in our eyes and smell molecules in our noses, thus acting as both the gatekeepers and molecular messengers of the cell.</p> | ||
| - | <p>There are around 800 known human GPCRs, of which about half are the olfactory receptors that allow us to distinguish thousands of different aromas. This basic molecular mechanism of olfactory receptor activation is conserved evolutionarily from yeast to humans. | + | <p>There are around 800 known human GPCRs, of which about half are the olfactory receptors that allow us to distinguish thousands of different aromas. This basic molecular mechanism of olfactory receptor activation is conserved evolutionarily from yeast to humans.Drawing inspiration from the sniffer rats which can be trained to sniff out unexploded landmines and tuberculosis, as part of this year’s iGEM competition we are aiming to use this molecular mechanism to develop an universal olfactory system for the purpose of characterization of volatile compounds, by introducing olfactory receptor gene fusions into <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> and linking these receptors to a transcription response |
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Revision as of 06:26, 26 October 2012
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Snifferomyces:Yeast with a sense of smell
G-protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) form a remarkable modular system that allows transmission of a wide variety of signals over the cell membrane, between cells and over long distances in the human body. The GPCRs mediate a flow of information that tells the inside of cells about the conditions on their outside, which includes signals from neurotransmitters (such as adrenaline and dopamine), hormones (such as follicle stimulating hormone, which helps control ovulation), and even light in our eyes and smell molecules in our noses, thus acting as both the gatekeepers and molecular messengers of the cell. There are around 800 known human GPCRs, of which about half are the olfactory receptors that allow us to distinguish thousands of different aromas. This basic molecular mechanism of olfactory receptor activation is conserved evolutionarily from yeast to humans.Drawing inspiration from the sniffer rats which can be trained to sniff out unexploded landmines and tuberculosis, as part of this year’s iGEM competition we are aiming to use this molecular mechanism to develop an universal olfactory system for the purpose of characterization of volatile compounds, by introducing olfactory receptor gene fusions into Saccharomyces cerevisiae and linking these receptors to a transcription response |
Advanced to the World Championship Jamboree!!
Snifferomyces: A Tuberculosis Screening Automaton
The 2012 project of the TU Delft iGEM team, draws inspiration from the sniffer rats which can be trained to sniff out unexploded landmines and tuberculosis. Tuberculosis infects around 8 million people a year and kills approximately 2 million. Drugs to treat tuberculosis have been around for a long time, so a rapid diagnosis system can help curb the spread of the disease. This year our team takes the first steps to make for this problem a screening olfactory automation!
- Localization of receptor NR1 using FLAG
- Activation of receptor NR1 by the ligand niacin
- Activation of the reporter by the native ligand alpha pheromone
- Providing a platform to swap receptors, promoters and terminators more easy
- Device design for yeast olfactory detector
- Deterministic and stochastic simulations and property analyses of pathway model
- Data fitting for deterministic pathway model
- Prediction of a ligand-binding niche within the human niacin receptor 1 with Molecular Dynamics simulations
- To find stake holders and create awareness among our project, we presented our project to a very large audience by participating in several events like Llowlab on Lowlands and the Floriade.
- Our main goal is to innovate a diagnostic tool for tuberculosis, one of the major health issues in the world
- We have provided the iGEM Paris 2012 team two Biobricks. Together with the Amsterdam team we were able to organize a crash course on the area of synthetic biology and we were honored to attend the LIFE-symposium with the Cambrigde 2010-team.
Project Abstract
The aim of this year’s iGEM project will be the synthesis of an olfactory device for the purpose of characterization of volatile compound. Here, the aim is to introduce olfactory receptor gene fusions into Saccharomyces cerevisiae and linking these receptors to a transcription response. Aims:
- The diagnostics of the presence of tuberculosis bacteria in the lungs by sensing chemical compound methyl nicotinate by S. cerevisiae. For diagnostics, the response to these molecules is light, generated by the Lux proteins (visible blue light) or GFP (fluorescent green).
- Introducing receptors for sensing the presence of banana-smell (iso-amyl acetate). This is done to see whether communication between S. cerevisiae and E. coli is possible by this volatile intermediate.
- Supplying a toolkit which allows scientists to introduce olfactory receptors in yeast with minimal effort. Further we want to characterize the receptor parts submitted by the 2009 Hongkong university.
Yes! We are at the National News!!! You can read the article from NRC Handelsblad here!
But this is not enough. We really need your enhancement in order to succeed to our effort. Please help us improve our world! You can find more information in our Crowdfunding Page
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You can also find us on facebook!
Our Sponsors |
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