Team:BostonU/QS

Quorum sensing is a system comprising of stimuli and responses associated with population density. Bacteria utilize quorum sensing to coordinate gene expression. The bacteria produce and secrete signaling molecules. These bacteria have a receptor that detects the signaling molecule. When the signaling molecule binds to the receptor, it activates a reporter.

A LuxIR-type quorum sensing system has been detected in Chromobacterium violaceum (Stauff et al., 2011). The goal is to introduce a new LuxR/I-like quorum sensing system to synthetic biology wia MoClo. Chromobacterium violaceum, a gram-negative bacteria found in flora from water and soil in tropical and subtropical regions, uses the CviR/I system. The CviR/I system is homologous to the LuxR/I system. This can be done by cloning and characterizing CviR/I and pVioA, a promoter with CviR binding site) into E.coli.