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As every iGEM project is about synthetic biology, we have our own contribution to make on that count. This year we have worked to thoroughly characterize the photosensitizing protein KillerRed a recently discovered tool with many potential uses. Our attempt to use it as a population regulator is just one among others like precise cell killing on a Petri dish or Chromophore-Assisted Light Inactivation (CALI) of specific proteins inside cells.
[1] M.E. Bulina et al., A genetically encoded photosensitizer, Nature Biotechnology, January 2006.
[2] Sergei Pletnev et al., Structural Basis for Phototoxicity of the Genetically Encoded Photosensitizer KillerRed, The Journal of Biological Chemistry, November 2009.
[3] Russell B. Vegh et al., Reactive oxygen species in photochemistry of the red fluorescent protein ‘‘Killer Red’’, Chem. Commun., 2011.
[4] N C Shaner et al., Improved monomeric red, orange and yellow fluorescent proteins derived from Discosomasp. red fluorescent protein, Nature Biotechnology, 2004.
[5] W Waldeck et al., ROS-mediated killing efficiency with visible light of bacteria carrying different red fluorochrome proteins, Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology, 2012.
[6] M.E. Bulina et al., A genetically encoded photosensitizer, Nature Biotechnology, January 2006.
[7] J D Oliver, Recent findings on the viable but nonculturable state in pathogenic bacteria, FEMS Microbiol. Rev., 2010.
[8] M E Bulina et al., Chromophore-assisted light inactivation (CALI) using the phototoxic fluorescent protein KillerRed, Nature Protocol, 2006.
[9] E Cabiscol et al., Oxidative stress in bacteria and protein damage by reactive oxygen species, International Microbiology, 2000.
[10] http://www.evrogen.com/products/KillerRed/KillerRed_Detailed_description.shtml
[11] F Baumgart et al., Light inactivation of water transport and protein–protein interactions of aquaporin–Killer Red chimeras, J Gen Physiol., 2012.
[12] Kubitschek HE, Cell volume increase in Escherichia coli after shifts to richer media, J. Bacteriol., 1990.
