Team:Newcastle
From 2013.igem.org
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L-forms can exist in a symbiotic relationship in plants which we will visualise by growing GFP labelled L-forms inside seedlings. L-forms could be engineered to supply nutrients to their host. L-forms are osmotically sensitive, giving biosecurity that they lyse if they escape from their host plant. | L-forms can exist in a symbiotic relationship in plants which we will visualise by growing GFP labelled L-forms inside seedlings. L-forms could be engineered to supply nutrients to their host. L-forms are osmotically sensitive, giving biosecurity that they lyse if they escape from their host plant. | ||
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+ | As outreach we reflected upon the implications of our project with relevant stock holders. Furthermore we created a biogame aimed to interest the general public in synthetic biology and developed a workshop for those new to modelling. Finally, we evaluated the relationship between synthetic biology and architecture. | ||
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Revision as of 11:52, 6 August 2013
BareCillus
Our Project
Our project focuses on the creation and applications of L-forms: bacteria that can grow and divide without a cell wall. We propose that L-forms can be used as a novel chassis for synthetic biology.
We have created a BioBrick that switches Bacillus subtilis cells from rod-shape to L-form. This introduces an inducible promoter to control cell wall synthesis, allowing L-form cells to return to rod-shape when required.
We will be using L-forms to attempt genome shuffling. It is significantly easier to fuse bacteria without cell walls interfering with the process. Fusion of L-forms will cause genetic recombination between cells, causing sexual reproduction & allowing directed evolution.
We aim to put L-forms into single cell wide microfluidics channels with differently shaped end chambers. We will then observe whether the L-forms will grow and take up the shape of these chambers due to their lack of cell wall.
L-forms can exist in a symbiotic relationship in plants which we will visualise by growing GFP labelled L-forms inside seedlings. L-forms could be engineered to supply nutrients to their host. L-forms are osmotically sensitive, giving biosecurity that they lyse if they escape from their host plant.
As outreach we reflected upon the implications of our project with relevant stock holders. Furthermore we created a biogame aimed to interest the general public in synthetic biology and developed a workshop for those new to modelling. Finally, we evaluated the relationship between synthetic biology and architecture.
Box 2
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Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Ut sed purus sem, quis auctor augue. Etiam molestie dapibus libero lacinia hendrerit. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce elementum malesuada facilisis. Quisque sodales viverra massa in sollicitudin. Mauris eget massa non felis dictum porta.
Fusce neque urna, ornare ut mattis eget, ullamcorper eu risus. Nam euismod odio faucibus purus ultricies ut pretium turpis mollis. Nam vitae risus vitae nunc consequat pellentesque. Mauris risus urna, volutpat eget lobortis ac, auctor vitae justo. Cras venenatis auctor aliquam. Nam ornare accumsan aliquet. Ut nunc turpis, ullamcorper ut euismod a, molestie sed eros. Maecenas eget sapien nulla, et ullamcorper mauris. Aenean bibendum erat a nisi ultricies nec sodales diam vulputate.
Training Week
Training Week
The team spent the first week of iGEM learning different basic lab techniques and modelling principles. Everything was documented and written up as a "Starter's Guide" to Synthetic Biology which can be found by clicking this box.
Box 4
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Maecenas sapien velit, sodales ac congue pretium, scelerisque eget nunc. Aenean ut sapien sem. Aliquam erat volutpat. Quisque aliquet scelerisque lacinia. Maecenas id felis sed arcu porta pretium aliquam sit amet lacus. Fusce ac aliquam orci. Pellentesque velit lorem, elementum a tristique in, ornare sed mauris. In at mattis nisi. Donec malesuada, lectus eu varius dictum, dui mi ultrices odio, non adipiscing augue tortor non felis.
L-forms
L-form
An L-form is a bacterium that has no cell wall. Bacterial morphology is determined by the cell wall, and so their morphology differs from the strain of bacteria from which they are derived, giving rise to a variety of cell sizes. The cell wall is important for cell division. Binary fission is a highly conserved mechanism required for proliferation of almost all cells. Due to the absence of the cell wall, L-forms are easily transformed, so we propose to use inducible L-forms of Bacillus subtilis as a novel chassis.
We are working on four themes which include: Shuffling, Recombination & Endosymbiosis; Introducing and detecting L-forms in Plants; Shape-shifting; Investigating two-component systems in L-forms. Details of the individual themes can be found under "Projects" on the main menu