Team:Hong Kong-CUHK/PROJECT APPLICATIONS

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FUTURE APPLICATIONS

I. Light-directed bacterial cells sorter
II. Improvement on the HR desalination system
III. Incorporation with BBa_K786031 as a new biosafety approach

I. Light-directed bacterial cells sorter

When the phototactic systems are integrated with heavy metals collection devices [1, 2] , such as SmtA and MntH for collecting cadmium ions, fMT and Glpf for collecting arsenic ions, and BBa_K346005, a mercury(II) ions absorption device, our sensory rhodopsin systems could become a useful tool for heavy metal sorting in present in sewage.

When different ion-absorption systems are integrated with our Sensory Rhodopsin systems, different kinds of ions can be directed to different position for heavy metals sorting and separation in sewage, which could be a new tool for heavy metal recycling.

Metal ions collection aided by light-directed cell sorting in an environmental friendly way

Other than integrating with heavy metal absorption device, our sensory rhodopsin system can also be incorporated with our gene expression system and our genome targeting system in order to sort out and collect heavy metal ions while minimizing potential environmental hazards due to release of genetically engineered organisms.

An orange light source can then trigger the genome targeting system (BBa_K786031) together with the gene expression device for sensory rhodopsin (BBa_K786010).

The cells will eventually destroy their own genetically engineered DNA, and leading to cell death and releasing the heavy metal ions. Furthermore, this step can prevent horizontal gene transfer due to the disposal of cell debris to the environment, minimizing the environmental impact.

II. Improvement on the HR desalination system

Our sensory rhodopsins system (BBa_K786003) and the halorhodopsin system (BBa_K559010) are both sensitive to long wavelength visible light source. They can be integrated to enhance the desalination efficiency [3]. As E. coli can be attracted to a region closer to the light source with greater intensity, the halorhodopsin system should function with a higher efficiency and absorb more Cl- ions.

III. Incorporation with BBa_K786031 as a new biosafety approach

Genetically-modified organisms have been put in use extensively throughout the last decade. Yet, concerns about such organisms causing undesirable effect to the environment once released have been raised. Our biobricks might be one of the answers to tackle such concerns. When the gene expression system for sensory rhodopsin is incorporated with the CRISPR/Cas system, bio-engineered cells would cleave their own DNA into nucleotides once exposed to natural light.
This system would be useful for bio-engineered cells that could be used to work in the dark. (e.g.: Biofuel synthesizing cells, human hormone-producing cells)

[1] https://2010.igem.org/Team:Peking
[2] https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo-NoKoGen
[3] https://2011.igem.org/Team:Hong_Kong-CUHK/Project/Halorhodopsin

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