MgFP5
Mgfp-5 is an adhesive protein present in the foot of mussels. It is known to be an
important part of what makes mussels stick on surfaces. We hoped to express
mgfp-5 on the surface of S. cerevisiae to enhance its adherence to materials such as
polystyrene or treated plastics and promote adherence to other yeast cells.
We discovered that it already was a part in the Parts Registry, but only
characterized in E. coli. The previous team expressed it in E. coli and ran a protein
quantitative assay, the results of which can be found here. We decided that we’d take a different approach in assaying the
results, to observe what mgfp-5-expressing yeast grew like under the microscope
and how it adhered in flowing conditions.
Our results show conclusive evidence that mgfp-5-expressing yeast “cluster”, form
clumps of cells that grow on and around on another, more often and to a larger
degree than non-mgfp-5-expressing yeast. We hope that this could be used to create
a biomaterial or a bioadhesive that could be natural and biodegradable.
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