Team:Cambridge/Project

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Bact<b>iridescence</b> was based around the properties of [[Team:Cambridge/Project/Background | reflectin]], a squid protein with the highest refractive index of any known proteinaceous substance. In squid this protein forms complex platelets which act as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bragg_reflector Bragg reflectors] to provide camouflage.
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===Project Goals===
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''Bact'''iridescence''''' is a project based around the unique properties of reflectin, a squid protein with the highest refractive index of any known proteinaceous substance.  In squid this protein forms complex platelets which act as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distributed_Bragg_reflector Bragg reflectors] to provide camouflage. We aim to express reflectin in E. coli and optimise the optical properties in order to build the groundwork for the manipulation of living structural colour. [[Team:Cambridge/Reflectin | Read more about reflectin and structural colour here.]]
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We aimed to [[Team:Cambridge/Project/In_Vivo | express reflectin in ''E. coli'']] and to investigate its optical properties in order to build the groundwork for the manipulation of living structural colour. We also looked at the [[Team:Cambridge/Project/In_Vitro | over-expression of reflectin in ''E. coli'']], in order to obtain relatively pure samples of the protein for making thin films.
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==Project breakdown==
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Much of our work (particularly the in vivo work) simply hadn't been tried before, so, while we had high hopes, we could not be sure as to what would happen.
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We broke down our project into clear stages, with highly focussed objectives for each. Here, we outline how our plans were designed and modified in order to achieve each objective to as high a standard as possible. Our [[Team:Cambridge/Experiments | experiments]] are also put into context via links in this section.
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==Achievements==
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In one short summer the [[Team:Cambridge/Team | 2011 Cambridge team]] has produced a set of [[Team:Cambridge/Parts | BioBrick parts]] to allow future researchers to explore synthetic biology applications for structural colour.  
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*[https://2011.igem.org/Team:Cambridge/Project/prelim Preliminary Observations] - confocal microscopy of native squid reflectin
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===[[Team:Cambridge/Project/In_Vivo | In Vivo]]===
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*[https://2011.igem.org/Team:Cambridge/Project/In_Vivo In Vivo] - expression of recombinant reflectin in E. coli
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Working with living cells we have;
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*[https://2011.igem.org/Team:Cambridge/Project/In_Vitro In Vitro] - Purification of recombinant reflectin and production of thin films
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*[[Team:Cambridge/Project/Microscopy | Imaged squid tissue using novel techniques]] to explore the in vivo properties of reflectins.
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*Succesfully produced reflectins in ''E. coli''.
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*Characterised best practices for in vivo reflectin production.
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===[[Team:Cambridge/Project/In_Vitro | In Vitro]]===
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[[File:Cam_Multilayer_drop_1.jpg | right | thumb | 150px | A multilayer thin film]]
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By engineering ''E. coli'' to overexpress reflectins we have;
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*[[Team:Cambridge/Experiments/Protein_Purification | Purified reflectin]] and documented best practice for high purity yields.
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*Made [[Team:Cambridge/Project/Microscopy#Reflectin_Thin_Films | thin films]] which show structural colours.
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*Demonstrated the rapid colour changes possible with reflectin.
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**Videos of our thin films are available on [http://www.youtube.com/user/cambridgeigem2011 youtube].
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===[[Team:Cambridge/Project/Gibthon | Software]]===
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[[File:Gibthon2.0beta.png | left | thumb | 100px | The Gibthon logo]]
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We contributed to [http://www.gibthon.org/ Gibthon], an open-source collection of web-based tools for construct design, fully compatible with both BioBrick standards and newer assembly techniques.
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*Greatly improved import and display of fragments (including support for [http://partsregistry.org/Main_Page partsregistry.org]).
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*Added tools to allow management of uploaded parts.
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==[[Team:Cambridge/Project/Future | Future work]]==
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By creating the first BioBrick parts for production of structural colour, we hope to facilitate further research.  Although time did not allow us to explore the full potential of our project, we have some ideas for what could be done next.
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Latest revision as of 02:52, 22 September 2011

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OVERVIEW
home
Bactiridescence was based around the properties of reflectin, a squid protein with the highest refractive index of any known proteinaceous substance. In squid this protein forms complex platelets which act as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bragg_reflector Bragg reflectors] to provide camouflage.

Contents

Project Goals

We aimed to express reflectin in E. coli and to investigate its optical properties in order to build the groundwork for the manipulation of living structural colour. We also looked at the over-expression of reflectin in E. coli, in order to obtain relatively pure samples of the protein for making thin films.

Much of our work (particularly the in vivo work) simply hadn't been tried before, so, while we had high hopes, we could not be sure as to what would happen.

Achievements

In one short summer the 2011 Cambridge team has produced a set of BioBrick parts to allow future researchers to explore synthetic biology applications for structural colour.

In Vivo

Working with living cells we have;

In Vitro

A multilayer thin film

By engineering E. coli to overexpress reflectins we have;

  • Purified reflectin and documented best practice for high purity yields.
  • Made thin films which show structural colours.
  • Demonstrated the rapid colour changes possible with reflectin.
    • Videos of our thin films are available on [http://www.youtube.com/user/cambridgeigem2011 youtube].

Software

The Gibthon logo

We contributed to [http://www.gibthon.org/ Gibthon], an open-source collection of web-based tools for construct design, fully compatible with both BioBrick standards and newer assembly techniques.

  • Greatly improved import and display of fragments (including support for [http://partsregistry.org/Main_Page partsregistry.org]).
  • Added tools to allow management of uploaded parts.

Future work

By creating the first BioBrick parts for production of structural colour, we hope to facilitate further research. Although time did not allow us to explore the full potential of our project, we have some ideas for what could be done next.


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