Difference between revisions of "Part:BBa K398108:Experience"

University Southern California 2012 Based on the data displayed on our page, we have determined the conditions in which bacteria display the most tumbling. Tumbling is a chemotactic response to environmental conditions that signifies a positive bacterial response. At a salt concentration of 0.5 M, an average of ~10% of bacteria were consistently tumbling. There is a clear bell-curve trend of induced tumbling in E. coli that contain the BBa_K398108 salt resistance with optimal conditions at 0.5M NaCl (see graph).

This is a congruent with the data found by the TU Delft iGEM 2010 team. A peak growth rate can be observed at 0.5 M NaCl, signifying positive cellular conditions. Our data also suggests optimal NaCl/environmental conditions at this concentration.

University College London 2012 We have observed that the results we have obtained for the characterisation of BBa_K398108 are consistent with those of the TU Delft '10 iGEM team. From the growth curves obtained (see link), an increase growth rate during the exponential phase is observed in E. Coli expressing BBa_K398108 as opposed to the wild type when the salt concentration of the media is elevated.

However, while we have managed to replicate the results of the TU Delft '10 iGEM team, we question the viability of this BioBrick for conferring salt tolerance in E. Coli. While the growth rate is improved for the cells expressing the BioBrick, the overall exponential growth phase does not - from our results, the final OD of the cells in the stationary phase is not higher than that of the wild-type.

Examining the literature, a better gauge of salt tolerance can be found via an increase in OD over the wild type cells in increased salt concentrations, which this BioBrick has not been shown to do. As such, the choice to use BBa_K398108 to confer salt tolerance on E. Coli would remain questionable at best.