Part:BBa_K1679031

ftnA , RNA thermometer and RFP

This device is consist of ftnA which is our magnetic receiver, RNA thermometer which is our thermo-regulator and a RFP in the role of reporter.

Ferritin

FtnA is a bacterial ferritin with a protein shell is assembled from 24 identical 19.4 kDa FtnA monomers. Its central cavity is around 7.5 nm in diameter and can be loaded with iron when cells grow under iron-rich conditions[1]. The iron is stored in the form of ferrihydrite iron cores normally that with superparamagnetic properties[2]. The iron contained ferritin can generate heat in response to electromagnetic signal[3]. For the reasons above, we design it as our magnetic receiver which can turn electromagnetic signal into heat.

[1]Smith J L. The physiological role of ferritin-like compounds in bacteria[J]. Critical reviews in microbiology, 2004, 30(3): 173-185. [2] Papaefthymiou G C, Viescas A J, Devlin E, et al. Electronic and magnetic characterization of in vivo produced vs. in vitro reconstituted horse spleen ferritin[C]//MRS Proceedings. Cambridge University Press, 2007, 1056: 1056-HH03-27. [3] Stanley S A, Sauer J, Kane R S, et al. Remote regulation of glucose homeostasis in mice using genetically encoded nanoparticles[J]. Nature medicine, 2015, 21(1): 92-98.

Fig.1. Schema of ferritin

RNA thermometer and RFP

This is a device containing a RBS (BBa_K115002) and a RFP coding sequence (BBa_E0010) on the pSB1C3, which can be easily transformed into E.coli. RNA Thermometers(RNAT) are temperature-sensing RNA sequences in 5’UTR of their mRNAs. At low temperature, RNAT folds into structure, blocking access of ribosome; at high temperature, RNAT switch from off to open conformation, increasing the efficiency of translation initiation. When the temperature rises above 37°C, this RNA terminator would turn on and RFP would be expressed in theory.

Experiment

We purified the ferritin overexpressed in E.coli through Ni-chelating affinity chromatography and highly concentrated it and then do SDS-PAGE. The position of clearly targeted band(about 19.4kDA) on the gel was consistent with the size of ferritin monomer fused with tag on plasmid, explaining that the ftnA expression is successful.

Figure 2. SDS-PAGE shows the expected protein band.

Gel was stained with (A) potassium ferrocyanide and (B) Coomassie Brilliant Blue R250. Control, HFn; lane 1, concentrated mineralized ferritin purified product; lane 2, sediment of bacteria with mineralization; lane 3, concentrated unmineralized ferritin purified product ; lane 4, sediment of bacteria without mineralization.

Figure 3. Native-PAGE analysis of mineralized FtnA

TUDelft-2008 has modified 3 kinds of RNAT: ROSE(BBa_K115001), FourU(BBa_ K115002), PrfA(BBa_K115003). We constructed each RNAT under the control of 3 different constitutive promoters:BBa_J23101, BBa_J23106, BBa_J23119 and use RFP as a reporter. After construction, the 9 circuits were transformed into DH5α.

For one temperature, we spotted one strain on 3 different plates, each plate contains 9 different strains. After 48 hours, as we can see in the photo: this RNA thermometer worked best under all these promoters and show great switch activity when be used cooperatively with J23101 and J23109.

Sequence and Features

Assembly Compatibility:

• 10
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[10]
• 12
  INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[12]

  Illegal NheI site found at 752
  Illegal NheI site found at 775
  
• 21
  INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[21]

  Illegal BamHI site found at 133
  
• 23
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[23]
• 25
  INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[25]

  Illegal AgeI site found at 1401
  Illegal AgeI site found at 1513
  
• 1000
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[1000]