Team:EPF-Lausanne

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Latest revision as of 22:45, 21 October 2009

Concept

LovTAP dimer bound to DNA

Recent discoveries of photoreceptors in many organisms got us excited about the possibility of using light-responsive genetic tools in synthetic biology. Indeed, such tools could in principle induce phenotypic changes in a more localized, preciser and faster fashion than currently available chemical-based methods. To evaluate the biotechnological potential of such tools, we specifically aimed to induce a change in gene expression, more specifically to directly turn a gene on or off, in a living organism, in response to a light stimulus.

For this purpose, we used a light-sensitive DNA binding protein "LovTAP" (for Light, Oxygen, Voltage Tryptophan-Activated Protein) to convert a light input into a chosen output, here fluorescence generated by the RFP reporter gene.

The results clearly show that this light-induced gene switch tool works in vivo, demonstrating the feasibility of implementing such powerful technology for a diverse range of bio(techno)logical applications.

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-==Project Abstract==
+==Concept==
-Recent discoveries of photoreceptors in many organisms have given us insights into the interest of using light-responsive genetic tools in synthetic biology. The final goal of our project is to induce a change in gene expression, more specifically to turn a gene on or off, in a living organism, in response to a light stimulus.
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+[[Image:LovTAP_dimer.png|right|300px|thumb|LovTAP dimer bound to DNA]]
+Recent discoveries of photoreceptors in many organisms got us excited about the possibility of using light-responsive genetic tools in synthetic biology. Indeed, such tools could in principle induce phenotypic changes in a more localized, preciser and faster fashion than currently available chemical-based methods. To evaluate the biotechnological potential of such tools, we specifically aimed to induce a change in gene expression, more specifically to directly turn a gene on or off, in a living organism, in response to a light stimulus.
-We will use light-sensitive DNA binding proteins (or light-sensitive proteins that activate DNA binding proteins) to convert a light input into a chosen output, for example fluorescence, through a reporter gene such as RFP.
+For this purpose, we used a light-sensitive DNA binding protein "LovTAP" (for Light, Oxygen, Voltage Tryptophan-Activated Protein) to convert a light input into a chosen output, here fluorescence generated by the RFP reporter gene.
-Demonstrating that the light-induced gene switch tool works in vivo would show that easier and faster tools can potentially be made available in several fields of biology, as such tools can induce more localized, more precise (time resolution and reversibility) and drastically faster genetic changes than currently used ones, thus allowing research to evolve even better.
+The results clearly show that this light-induced gene switch tool works ''in vivo'', demonstrating the feasibility of implementing such powerful technology for a diverse range of bio(techno)logical applications.
-LOV means light, oxygen, and voltage, whereas TAP means tryptophan-activated protein.
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