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Team:Braunschweig
From 2013.igem.org
Our project – outline
In nature microorganisms commonly live in symbiosis, be it in form of a protective biofilm or as composite organism[s] such as lichen (a symbiosis of algae/cyanobacteria and fungi). Members of this symbiotic community secrete chemicals that offer protection and nutrition or neutralize toxins.
The goal of the iGEM Team Braunschweig is to create a synergetic system similar to a natural symbiosis. During the course of our project we want to clone three individual mutant strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli which can only survive as a community – if one dies, they all die.
To achieve this, each strain bears a plasmid that confers antibiotic resistance upon activation of a two-component transcription activator.
The key feature of our system: only one component can be synthesized by each strain alone. The other half of a transcription activator is produced by another strain and secreted into the medium.
In nature microorganisms commonly live in symbiosis, be it in form of a protective biofilm or as composite organism[s] such as lichen (a symbiosis of algae/cyanobacteria and fungi). Members of this symbiotic community secrete chemicals that offer protection and nutrition or neutralize toxins.
The goal of the iGEM Team Braunschweig is to create a synergetic system similar to a natural symbiosis. During the course of our project we want to clone three individual mutant strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli which can only survive as a community – if one dies, they all die.To achieve this, each strain bears a plasmid that confers antibiotic resistance upon activation of a two-component transcription activator.
The key feature of our system: only one component can be synthesized by each strain alone. The other half of a transcription activator is produced by another strain and secreted into the medium.
Curious? Here you can find more details.
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