Team:Georgia State/project/overview

Our project builds on previous years’ research and experiments working with the pGAPZαA, B, and C. We have been working towards standardizing all three vectors according to iGEM standards (MCS standards) in order to use these vectors to express genes through the Pichia Pastoris system. So far we were able to standardize pGAPZαA and express the Red Florescent Protein (RFP). We would like to standardize the B and C vectors as well, due to their varying reading frames. These vectors will be used in the Pichia Pastories The final goal of our new project is to be able to show capability of expressing and purifying a protein synthesized from the Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis) venom. Following expression, we will be trying to elicit an immune response in small rodents (rats or rabbits). The lab responsible for the synthesis of the protein was able to test it only on the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and show an effect. We would like to be able to test the protein’s function in the central nervous system with the hope of showing a similar effect to that of the PNS. To achieve this we would collaborate with an additional lab on the Georgia State University campus, that works with rodents.