Part:BBa_K4239009

toxin/antitoxin gene hok/sok

Description

Hok/sok is a toxin/antitoxin system made to be used on the same plasmid than an interest gene (the fiatlux operon, in our project). This method of selection ensures that all the bacteria present on the plant have the plasmid, and can hence emit light. Toxins have a longer life span in cells than antitoxins, so if the bacteria lose their plasmid, the toxin is no longer destroyed by the antitoxin. This results in the death of the bacteria, thus assuring the death of all fiatlux non-carriers. As a consequence, by involving a selective pressure, the toxin/antitoxin system increases the stability of the plasmid in the bacteria.

Sequence and Features

Assembly Compatibility:

• 10
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[10]
• 12
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[12]
• 21
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[21]
• 23
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[23]
• 25
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[25]
• 1000
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[1000]

Construction

The gene hok/sok was adapted to fit the biobrick format

References

Gregor C, Gwosch KC, Sahl SJ, Hell SW. Strongly enhanced bacterial bioluminescence with the ilux operon for single-cell imaging. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 Jan 30;115(5):962-967. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1715946115. Epub 2018 Jan 16. PMID: 29339494; PMCID: PMC5798359.