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Team:Braunschweig
From 2013.igem.org
Welcome
Our project
Bacterial consortia offer a great benefit for synthetic biology due to the ability to perform complex tasks by splitting the whole reaction into smaller reactions and share the task among different specialized strains. Also, a self-regulating bacterial culture with intra consortial dependencies offers great advances in biosafety. To shut down the whole bacterial consortium, only on strain has to be eliminated. We engineer three different E. coli strains to grow in a consortium exploiting different Quorum Sensing systems. Each strain maintains a constitutive expression of an inactive transcription activator (LuxR, LasR or RhlR). Inducers are synthesized by different synthases (LuxI, LasI or RhlI) that are each expressed in one strain and subsequently secreted into the medium. Once taken up by a cell, the inducers bind to the corresponding, inactive transcription factors to render them functional. As a result, an antibiotic resistance under the control of an inducible promoter is expressed.
Results
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.
You can find a more detailed project description here!
Human Practices
How to reach the public? We developed a guide "How to succeed in Public Relations" for all future iGEM Teams.
Engineering Principles
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.
You can find a more detailed project description here!
Impact
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.
You can find a more detailed project description here!
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