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From 2011.igem.org

Preventing Horizontal Gene Transfer

As part of our human practices work, we need to consider what will happen in the event that our modified bacteria are released into the soil. The potential consequences of their release relate to their uncontrolled spread and the possibility that they pass on the auxin genes to naturally occurring soil bacteria.

The auxin compound that we are using is the natural indole-3-acetic acid, which is not used as a herbicide like many other synthetic auxins. However, in high concentrations, indole-3-acetic acid can retard plant growth - as shown in our experiments.

While there are already a few species of bacteria that are able to secrete auxin^[1], it would be careless of us to release our bacteria without giving some thought to a containment device.

The BacTrap Design

We have implemented the Holin/Anti-Holin regulated kill switch designed by the Berkeley 2008 iGEM team to create a system limiting horizontal gene transfer. Holin is a protein that forms pores in cell membranes and anti-holin binds to holin, inhibiting it's action. Once pores are formed by holin, lysozyme can access the periplasmic space and degrade the cell wall, causing cell lysis.

In the BacTrap system, the antiholin gene will be on the genome of our engineered bacteria under the control of a strong promoter. The Holin and Lysozyme genes will be present on the same plasmid as the two auxin genes and the chemoreceptor gene. The idea here is that the presence of the antiholin will prevent the cell from lysing from the effects of holin and lysozyme. In a different cell, i.e., one that does not have antiholin on its genome, the antiholin and lysozyme will kill the cell, preventing it from keeping the plasmid containing the auxin genes. This mechanism will prevent the succesfull horizontal gene transfer to naturally occurring soil bacteria.

One flaw in the design, is that, due to the time constraints placed upon us by the iGEM competition, the system that we will engineer will have antibiotic resistance genes on the genome. This is not something that is intended as part of the overall design, but is necessary for this competition.

References

[1] http://m.biotecharticles.com/Biology-Article/Natural-Growth-Hormone-IAA-Indole-3-Acetic-Acid-602.html