Team:Newcastle/Project

From 2013.igem.org

(Difference between revisions)
Line 7: Line 7:
<!--
<!--
-
We have created a [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Parts/l_form_switch BioBrick] which makes the model Gram positive bacteria ''Bacillus subtilis'' lose or regain its cell wall, on our demand, while still allowing it to grow and divide. ''B. subtilis'' without a cell wall is better in many different ways and should be used as a new chassis for use in Synthetic Biology.
+
We have created a [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Parts/l_form_switch BioBrick] which makes the model Gram positive bacteria ''Bacillus subtilis'' lose or regain its cell wall, on our demand, while still allowing it to grow and divide. ''B. subtilis'' without a cell wall is better in many different ways and should be used as a new chassis for use in Synthetic Biology. -->
-
All you need to start using an [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project/L_forms L-form] chassis is a culture of ''Bacillus subtilis'', our [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Parts/l_form_switch L-form switch BioBrick] and a [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Notebook/protocols set of instructions] from us.
+
<!--All you need to start using an [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project/L_forms L-form] chassis is a culture of ''Bacillus subtilis'', our [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Parts/l_form_switch L-form switch BioBrick] and a [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Notebook/protocols set of instructions] from us.
Bacteria which have lost their cell wall which are still able to grow and propagate are called L-forms, or as we prefer to call them, naked bacteria. There are loads of things that you can do with naked bacteria, we explored a few of them:
Bacteria which have lost their cell wall which are still able to grow and propagate are called L-forms, or as we prefer to call them, naked bacteria. There are loads of things that you can do with naked bacteria, we explored a few of them:
-
(One of the best facts about naked bacteria is that they are osmotically sensitive, meaning that they will lyse if they escape into the environment. This means that they can be used in non-contained environments.)
+
(One of the best facts about naked bacteria is that they are osmotically sensitive, meaning that they will lyse if they escape into the environment. This means that they can be used in non-contained environments.)-->
<!--<ul><li>[https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project Click here to navigate to the top of the page]</li></ul>-->
<!--<ul><li>[https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project Click here to navigate to the top of the page]</li></ul>-->
-
 
+
<!--
==[https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Modelling/Introduction  Modelling]==
==[https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Modelling/Introduction  Modelling]==
We understand the importance of modelling in synthetic biology and have attempted to model as much as we were able.
We understand the importance of modelling in synthetic biology and have attempted to model as much as we were able.
Line 21: Line 21:
This isn’t a finite list of what can be done with naked bacteria, there’s loads more that can be done!  L-forms are currently used to discover novel antibiotics which don’t act on the cell wall.  L-forms can teach us a great deal about how bacterial life has evolved, through acting as a model for a cell wall-less bacterial progenitor, and through being able to test the ease of induction of endosymbiosis in cell wall-less organisms [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project#References (Mercier et al. 2013)].  
This isn’t a finite list of what can be done with naked bacteria, there’s loads more that can be done!  L-forms are currently used to discover novel antibiotics which don’t act on the cell wall.  L-forms can teach us a great deal about how bacterial life has evolved, through acting as a model for a cell wall-less bacterial progenitor, and through being able to test the ease of induction of endosymbiosis in cell wall-less organisms [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project#References (Mercier et al. 2013)].  
-
L-form bacteria can be used in any process which protoplasts are currently used for. Protoplasts are bacteria which have been chemically induced to lose their cell wall. They cannot however grow or divide (as L-forms can) and are not classified as being alive. L-forms can be used to transform bacteria which are recalcitrant to transformation [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project#References (Chang and Cohen 1979)].
+
L-form bacteria can be used in any process which protoplasts are currently used for. Protoplasts are bacteria which have been chemically induced to lose their cell wall. They cannot however grow or divide (as L-forms can) and are not classified as being alive. L-forms can be used to transform bacteria which are recalcitrant to transformation [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project#References (Chang and Cohen 1979)].-->
-
 
+
<!--
==[https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project/shuffling_endosymbiosis Genome Shuffling]==
==[https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project/shuffling_endosymbiosis Genome Shuffling]==
Fusion of bacteria is made significantly easier without a cell wall. This forces the fusants to reproduce sexually, where their genomes recombine, and this can be used in directed evolution. [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project/shuffling_endosymbiosis We have shown L-forms fusing, and the recombination of their genomes].
Fusion of bacteria is made significantly easier without a cell wall. This forces the fusants to reproduce sexually, where their genomes recombine, and this can be used in directed evolution. [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project/shuffling_endosymbiosis We have shown L-forms fusing, and the recombination of their genomes].
-
 
+
-->
 +
<!--
==[https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project/plants Introduction and Detection of Naked Bacteria in Plants] ==
==[https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project/plants Introduction and Detection of Naked Bacteria in Plants] ==
L-forms have been shown to form symbiosis in plants.  We’ve shown that the naked bacteria that we created using our [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Parts/l_form_switch switch BioBrick] also [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project/plants#Results form these associations]. Plants with naked bacteria show [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project#References increased resistance to fungus] and they could be used to deliver useful compounds to the plant. This could give better plant yields, more nutritious plants and reduce the need for spraying of fertiliser, pesticides or other compounds.
L-forms have been shown to form symbiosis in plants.  We’ve shown that the naked bacteria that we created using our [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Parts/l_form_switch switch BioBrick] also [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project/plants#Results form these associations]. Plants with naked bacteria show [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project#References increased resistance to fungus] and they could be used to deliver useful compounds to the plant. This could give better plant yields, more nutritious plants and reduce the need for spraying of fertiliser, pesticides or other compounds.
-
 
+
-->
 +
<!--
==[https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project/shape_shifting Shape Shifting]==
==[https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project/shape_shifting Shape Shifting]==
The loss of the cell wall leaves L-forms protected by only a cell membrane. The plasma membrane of l-forms is quite fluid. The advantage of this is that these cells would be able to adapt to shapes of various cracks and cavities, or will be able to "squeeze through" tiny channels and deliver cargo to hard-to reach targets.
The loss of the cell wall leaves L-forms protected by only a cell membrane. The plasma membrane of l-forms is quite fluid. The advantage of this is that these cells would be able to adapt to shapes of various cracks and cavities, or will be able to "squeeze through" tiny channels and deliver cargo to hard-to reach targets.
We were planning to test this hypothesis by injecting the naked bacteria into specially designed microfluidics chambers and observing their behaviour under the microscope. However due to time and logistics constraints we were unable to do it. For more information please visit [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project/shape_shifting shape shifting page]
We were planning to test this hypothesis by injecting the naked bacteria into specially designed microfluidics chambers and observing their behaviour under the microscope. However due to time and logistics constraints we were unable to do it. For more information please visit [https://2013.igem.org/Team:Newcastle/Project/shape_shifting shape shifting page]
-
 
+
-->
==References==
==References==
Walker R, Ferguson CMJ, Booth NA and Allan EJ (2002) The symbiosis of ''Bacillus subtilis'' L-forms with Chinese cabbage seedlings inhibits conidial germination of ‘''Botrytis cinerea''. ''Letters in Applied Microbiology'', '''34''', 42-45.
Walker R, Ferguson CMJ, Booth NA and Allan EJ (2002) The symbiosis of ''Bacillus subtilis'' L-forms with Chinese cabbage seedlings inhibits conidial germination of ‘''Botrytis cinerea''. ''Letters in Applied Microbiology'', '''34''', 42-45.

Revision as of 23:10, 3 October 2013

 
X
 
IGEM Home Newcastle University

Project Overview

Synthetic Biology Cycle.jpg


References

Walker R, Ferguson CMJ, Booth NA and Allan EJ (2002) The symbiosis of Bacillus subtilis L-forms with Chinese cabbage seedlings inhibits conidial germination of ‘Botrytis cinerea. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 34, 42-45.

Chang S and Cohen SN (1979)High frequency transformation of Bacillus subtilis protoplasts by plasmid DNA. Molecular Genetics & Genomics, 168, 111–115.

Mercier R, Kawai Y and Errington J. (2013) Excess Membrane Synthesis Drives a Primitive Mode of Cell Proliferation, Cell, 152, 997–1007.

-->

Newcastle University The Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology Newcastle Biomedicine The School of Computing Science The School of Computing Science