Difference between revisions of "Part:BBa K559011:Experience"

Revision as of 08:40, 2 November 2011

This experience page is provided so that any user may enter their experience using this part.
Please enter how you used this part and how it worked out.

Characterization of BBa_K559011

In order to test if our Pgad gene function properly with turnable gene expression by sensing intracellular chloride concentration, we integrated our part with BBa_K559010 (Halorhodopsin complete system), which is a well characterization light-sensing ion channel for chloride ion.

Figure 1. The effect of sodium chloride concentration in culture medium on EGFP expression in BL21(DE3).' Bacteria was excited by light with 530 nm for 210 seconds at room temperature. Excited bacteria was incubated in culture medium for additional 2 hours with 200 rpm shaking. Finally, bacteria was lyzed by sonication. EGFP produced was measured. Error bar represents SEM, n=3. The bacteria transformed with both Halorhodopsin and PgadEGFP, added NaCl and excited by 530 nm showed significant production of EGFP. When the amount of NaCl added increases, the production of EGFP increases.

With the additional biobrick BBa_K559010 to allow a directly proportional effect of After we have confirmed the intracellular chloride concentration has the directly related effect on gene expression, we need to characterize the light parameters on GFP expression, in order to prove our photo-tunable gene expression platform to be worked.

Figure 2. The effect of excitation wavelength on EGFP expression in BL21(DE3).' Bacteria was excited by light with different wavelength for 210 seconds at room temperature. Excited bacteria was incubated in culture medium for additional 2 hours with 200 rpm shaking. Finally, bacteria was lyzed by sonication. EGFP produced was measured. Error bar represents SEM, n=3. Optimal wavelength for EGFP production is 530 nm.

Figure 3. The effect of excitation power on EGFP expression in BL21(DE3).' Bacteria was excited by light with 530 nm wavelength with different power for 210 seconds at room temperature. Excited bacteria was incubated in culture medium for additional 2 hours with 200 rpm shaking. Finally, bacteria was lyzed by sonication. EGFP produced was measured. Error bar represents SEM, n=3. When excitation power increases, the production of EGFP increases.

Applications of BBa_K559011

Application 1- Chloricolight turnable gene expression system

In previous light sensing concept, genetic engineers woud like to add a light sensor gene in front of the target biobrick for regulation. They reach for on/off gate or narrow range of light-regulating biobrick expression. In Hong-Kong_CUHK iGEM 2011 team, it is decided to use a turnable light sensor to regulate the amount of an intermediate signal, chloride ion, with the downstream chloride-sensing cassette, to fine and wide-range regulation of the target gene expression.

Figure 1.' The illustrative comparison between the use conventional light-sensing and our turnable light sensing system on gene expression. Our method requires more steps, with chloride as an intermediate signal, but leads to advance that overcomes the problem of conventional light-sensing (photo-oxidation, fine turning of only one light parameter - intensity/ illuminated time, etc)

Figure 2. The result shows that Pgad chloride sensing cassette can be induced by different concentration of sodium chloride addition, with the controlled level of GFP expression, with the relative quantity shown in the western blot image. The control (tRNA, cell lysate) shows the consistent addition of gene amount for RTPCR, or western blotting respectively. The GFP expression increase from 0.1 M to 0.4 M of solution NaCl addition with all optimal parameter for our biobrick system for chloride absorption. It shows the downstream regulation gene expression by chloride ion level is possible.

Advantages

• Quantitative - The quantitative data is directly from intracellular chloride level instead of extracellular signal level, so there is no need to make assumption on maximum diffusion
• Turnable Amplifier - Our system can show the effect that turning of light parameters (intensity, wavelength, illuminated time) can lead to turnable intracellular chloride concentration. Also, minimum light illumination that cause no harm effect on cell, with the varying external chloride concentration provides a higher and more precies turnable expression range.
• Universal Plug-in Tool - Any biobrick/ gene that we would like to fine-control its expression level can be embeded after the chloride-sensing cassette to form a complete light turnable gene regulation system

Future Application - Computer-aided light-coupled gene expression regulation platform

In our system, we have a turnable light-sensing unit. However, we need a off-gate to deactivate gene expression once light source is removed. When the off gate system is integrated in our biobrick, we can develop a Computer-aided light-coupled gene expression regulation platform. The computer can first control all the input parameter (light quality and quantity, chloride ion concentration in medium), and lead to controlled gene expression level. The feedback signal (fusion GFP, etc) provide a quantitative output value of the target gene expression to the computer, then it can fine-tune the signal.

Figure 3: The Computer-aided light-coupled gene expression regulation platform is shown for a complete system for light-controllable gene expression system with dynamic turnable part by the feedback signal given in the gene expression. It makes a automatic light regulated quantitative gene expression platform.

References: [1]J.W. Sanders, G. Venema, and J. Kok, “A chloride-inducible gene expression cassette and its use in induced lysis of Lactococcus lactis,” Applied and environmental microbiology, vol. 63, Dec. 1997, p. 4877.

User Reviews

UNIQ2bf57eacd3ef34da-partinfo-00000000-QINU UNIQ2bf57eacd3ef34da-partinfo-00000001-QINU