Team:Amsterdam

Cellular Logbook - A methylation-based reporter system

Multi-sensing genetic devices offer great future perspectives for biotechnology, environmental monitoring and medical diagnostics. In light of this we have created an innovative epigenetic DNA-methylation based detection system in E. coli, named Cellular Logbook, that has the potential of simultaneously reporting on significantly more signals than current fluorescence-based systems (eg. GFP). The Cellular Logbook can be used to detect (Sensor module) and store (Writer module) the presence of any compound linked to a transcriptional regulator. This system allows for offline monitoring by functioning as a memory module (Writer module). Assessment of the memory status is performed by digesting with restriction endonucleases followed by gel electrophoresis (Reader Module). Furthermore, the Cellular Logbook is able to infer the time of signal-onset or signal-intensity using the natural dilution of the registered signal’s due to cell division. In shourt our novel epigenetic memory module system could potentially be utilized as a mulit-sensor/time indicating platform for many groundbreaking technologies and applications (eg. to measure environmental changes such as toxic compounds).