Team:ITESM Mexico/Abstract

From 2011.igem.org

ITESM MÉXICO

SensE.coli

Igem Itesm

Abstract


Dual light controlled arabinose biosensor
Construct.jpg

Integrating the work of many other previous iGEM teams (Tokyo NoKoGen 2010, Chiba 2009, 2010, British Columbia 2009, Cambridge 2010, UNAM-Genomics México 2010, ITESM Monterrey 2010), the aim of this project is to develop a way of giving a cell the command to perform a function at user’s will, improving current lock-and-key designs. A novel mechanism based on an E.coli chassis, was designed with two main objectives: to sense arabinose reporting its concentration and to use light receptors to trigger the expression of the required pathways. The first receptor enables E.coli to activate (express), the arabinose sensing mechanism; whereas the second receptor activates a quick deactivation(degradation), of the sensing mechanism depriving the cell of that capability.