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Team:KULeuven/8 July 2009
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Stand van zaken
Currently there are 2 projects being worked on. Friday (10th of July at 12.45 in lokaal LAND 00.210.) we make a definite decission for which project we will do. So tomorow (thursday) will be used to find solutions for the problems/questions (challenges?) in both projects. Below is a short summary of the progress and questions in both projects.
Regulation bacteria
The main idea is to develop a bacteria that regulates the concentration of a molecule 'X' and keeps it constant by a dynamical equilibrium (see presentation). This is being done by simultaneous synthesis and degradation (with 1 or 2 being dependant on concentration), a dynamical equilibrium exists when the synthesis equals the degradation. This dynamical equilibrium can be set by using light sensor, the light intensity would then be proportional to the concentration for the equilibrium.
For the lightsensor we found a biobrick plus a paper from nature in which the light intensity is related to the expression of 'black output'
- [http://partsregistry.org/Part:BBa_S03417 BBa_S03417]
- [http://partsregistry.org/wiki/index.php/Part:BBa_M30109 BBa_M30109]
- [http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v438/n7067/abs/nature04405.html Nature artikel from Levskaya]
By example we chose the amino acid Leucine for molecule 'X' (see presentation). Leucine is an essential amino acid for eukaryotes and might be regulatable (by the way an additional problem if we would use this in humans is that we can't just radiate red light the entire day on them)
Presentation of the regulation bacteria
Problems/questions(/challenges?)
This concept has currently 2 problems, namely:
- The current proposal for the dynamical equilibrium (see presentation) will not result in a controlling equilibrium because the external synthesis or degradation would shift the equilibrium to another concentration, which is exactly what we are trying to prevent.
- Solution (yea we got one ^^), use of a desired value instead of the amount of protein synthesized. The desired value is set by the light intensity and results in a concentration of a reference molecule. The concentration of molecule 'X' is compared to this reference after which it is decided to synthesize or degrade more of molecule 'X'.
- FIND OUR MAGICAL MOLECULE 'X' (replacement of Leucine). It is important to know where we will use it (ideas: aquaria, plants, bioreactor) and what this molecule adds for use (nutrient/vitamine/food/etc..?). The demands for magical molecule 'X' are:
- usefelness for the system, regulation of the concentration of the substance should not be regulated by another chemical/physical way because then it is not interesting to develop in a bacteria.
- Active transport inside AND outisde the cell
- It might be possible to modify the molecule during transport OR transport something (inside the cell) that is proportional to the concentration of the molecule 'X' outisde the cell.
- Possibility to synthesize the molecule by the bacteria.
Especially problem 2 is an important problem, help is appreciated ^^
The blue lagoon
Others
On thursday we expect some koffiekoeke
