Part:BBa_K2128000

MAHS

Introduction

This part is a member is a class of intrinsically disordered proteins called the Late Embryonic Abundant (LEA) proteins that become ordered when desiccated, thereby stabilizing DNA and protein cell components.

This protein sequence was in the paper by "Novel Mitochondria-Targeted Heat-Soluble Proteins Identified in the Anhydrobiotic Tardigrade Improve Osmotic Tolerance of Human Cells" by Tanaka et al (http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0118272), this tardigrade unique protein appears to increase stress tolerance in human cells.

Characterization

Team Genspace 2016 Decided to see if it would also increase stress tolerance in cells without mitochondria.

Preliminary testing of the MAHS LEA protein (expressed using the part BBa_K2128200) does not show an improvement in desiccation survivability as shown in Table 1 and Figure 1.


Table 1 - MAHS-related (TEST_MAHS) data (raw, adjusted for dilution, and normalized)


Figure 1 - Survival Rate vs. Desiccation (MAHS)

Data beyond H=7 hours of desiccation had failed positive controls that invalidated those results. (Positive controls for hours H=0, 4 and 7 were successful.) While those control issues could not be resolved in time for iGEM deadlines, it was desired to supply this preliminary information as a guide to other teams that may wish consider use of this part.

See team Genspaces 2016 wiki for more information. (http://2016.igem.org/Team:Genspace/Results)

Sequence and Features

Assembly Compatibility:

• 10
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[10]
• 12
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[12]
• 21
  INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[21]

  Illegal BamHI site found at 447
  
• 23
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[23]
• 25
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[25]
• 1000
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[1000]