Modifying a Reporter System
This year, we took an
existing part (BBa_K3009020), a reporter for use in C. elegans, and improved it by assembling it into a sub-construct with a robust terminator (BBa_K309012). The new part (BBa_K631036) is significantly more useful than the old part in the context of C. elegans promoter characterization. The part can be assembled into a working construct with any C. elegans promoter in one assembly step. This means that teams in the future will have half as much assembly work to do if they need to characterize a C. elegans promoter -- one assembly step vs. two. This means half the chance for errors or mutation, half as much trouble shooting and half as much time. Promoter characterization is extremely important in C. elegans. The expression level is an important feature of any promoter in any chassis, but in a multicellular organism like C. elegans, the expression pattern is also crucial. This part will expedite promoter characterization in C. elegans for future teams. This will assist any C. elegans based project, but will be particularly valuable when fabricating complex parts and constructs that rely on promoter expression patterns and levels. These include fundamental constructs like biphasic switches, as well as more complex projects and systems like neuron manipulation, cell-to-cell and tissue-to-tissue communication and syntheses that rely on multiple synthesis stages in various tissues of the worm.
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