Team:Paris Bettencourt

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<h2>Using synthetic biology to investigate newly discovered biological phenomena</h2>
<h2>Using synthetic biology to investigate newly discovered biological phenomena</h2>
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<p>In a recent paper, Dubey and Ben-Yehuda discovered a new cell-to-cell communication system: nanotubes. Through excellent electronic microscopy images, antibiotic resistance transfer and faint fluorescence transfer they showed that a <em>previously unknown exchange channel</em> existed between B.subtilis cells and even between completely different species. So far, it seems possible to exchange proteins but also plasmids through these nanotubes. This unheard-of communication might force us to <em>redefine the notion of individuals in bacteria</em> and opens endless possibilities for new applications.</p>
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<p><i>The interest:</i> A recent ground-breaking paper (1) described a new cell-to-cell bacterial communication system: nanotubes. Through excellent electronic microscopy images, antibiotic resistance transfer and faint fluorescence transfer , and cross-antibiotic resistance, previously unknown exchange channels were revealed between B.subtilis cells and even between completely different species. Results suggest that protein and/or RNA can travel through these tubes. This discovery may lead to a redefinition of individuality in bacteria. Given the many applications of known communication systems (e.g., quorum sensing, conjugation) in synthetic biology, harnessing the capacity of the nanotubes will open endless possibilities for new applications as amorph computing....
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<p>This is precisely why we wanted to discover more about this phenomenon, so that the synthetic biology community will be able to harness its full potential. We wanted to work on this challenging problem by providing other proofs to support this discovery. We aimed at <em>characterizing the transfer through nanotubes</em> using synthetic biology tools. It was a very bold move since we know very little about the nature, formation and function of nanotubes. </p>
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<p><i>The challenge:</i> Using synthetic biology to characterize the nanotubes, the structure, composition and control of which are still unknown. We decided to work on this challenging problem by providing other proofs to support this discovery.</p>
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<p>To <em>best characterize the nanotube</em> communication, we created <em>several devices relying on protein or RNA diffusion</em>. Our devices rely on an emitter cell and a receiver cell that amplifies the signal. We chose to work with signaling molecules of different sizes and natures to test thoroughly the diffusion possibilities.</p>
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<p><i>The project:</i> We bet-hedged our chances using different reporter systems by creating several devices relying on protein or RNA diffusion. Our devices rely on an emitter cell and a receiver cell that amplifies the signal. We chose to work with signaling molecules of different sizes and natures to test thoroughly the diffusion possibilities. Experiments were coupled with a thorough modeling approach tackling both the detection devices as well as diffusion, assisted transfer within the tubes and the membrane fusion within.</p>
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<h3>See our work!</h3>
<h3>See our work!</h3>

Revision as of 23:56, 21 September 2011

Team IGEM Paris 2011

Using synthetic biology to investigate newly discovered biological phenomena

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The interest: A recent ground-breaking paper (1) described a new cell-to-cell bacterial communication system: nanotubes. Through excellent electronic microscopy images, antibiotic resistance transfer and faint fluorescence transfer , and cross-antibiotic resistance, previously unknown exchange channels were revealed between B.subtilis cells and even between completely different species. Results suggest that protein and/or RNA can travel through these tubes. This discovery may lead to a redefinition of individuality in bacteria. Given the many applications of known communication systems (e.g., quorum sensing, conjugation) in synthetic biology, harnessing the capacity of the nanotubes will open endless possibilities for new applications as amorph computing....


The challenge: Using synthetic biology to characterize the nanotubes, the structure, composition and control of which are still unknown. We decided to work on this challenging problem by providing other proofs to support this discovery.


The project: We bet-hedged our chances using different reporter systems by creating several devices relying on protein or RNA diffusion. Our devices rely on an emitter cell and a receiver cell that amplifies the signal. We chose to work with signaling molecules of different sizes and natures to test thoroughly the diffusion possibilities. Experiments were coupled with a thorough modeling approach tackling both the detection devices as well as diffusion, assisted transfer within the tubes and the membrane fusion within.


See our work!


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The Team:

We are fifteen students from parisian universities coming from many different disciplines who came together to participate in the iGEM competition. Come and meet the Team.

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The project:

In February, a team led by Dubey and Ben-Yehuda discovered an extraordinary new form of communication for bacteria: nanotubes between individual cells! This type of link is well known between eukaryotic cells, but here it was observed between cells widely used by synthetic biologists (Bacillus subtilis). We decided to investigate this new communication way in details using the tools synthetic biology can design. You can find out more about our project in the Project section.


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The values:

Ethics and safety are two main concerns when building genetically engineered organisms.

You can visit our Human practice work and our safety page.


Achievements

List of all our achievements during the summer:

  • Reproduced the GFP experiment of the original paper
  • Reproduced the antibiotic experiment of the original paper and proposed an alternative explanation for the results