Team:TU-Eindhoven
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The Project
This year's project will be all about Light Emitting Cells (LECs) that emit light in response to an electric stimulus. A LEC has to emit light conditionally, that is, it has to react a control signal. In our case the control signal will be an electric field that is strong enough to depolarize the plasma membrane of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, but weak enough for the cells to survive.
Light Emitting Cells
The plasma membrane of S. cerevisiae contains the CCH1-MID1 channel protein complex that is homologous to mammalian Voltage Gated Calcium Channels (VGCCs). It is hypothesized that upon depolarization of the plasma membrane, calcium ions selectively enter the cytoplasm through CCH1-MID1. Light will be emitted through the fluorescence of GECO protein, a calcium sensor that is expressed from an genetically engineered plasmid. When the calcium concentration is high the GECO proteins will be fluorescent, when the calcium concentration is low the GECO proteins will not be fluorescent. After a while the calcium concentration will drop to homeostatic levels through active transport to the yeast's vacuole and fluorescence will cease.Device
Introduction to the device for stimulation of LECs.Achievements in iGEM competition
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Please see iGEM official results page to see how all the teams did.
In the news
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