"
Team:EPF-Lausanne
From 2009.igem.org
(→Concept) |
(→Concept) |
||
| (3 intermediate revisions not shown) | |||
| Line 4: | Line 4: | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
<div CLASS="epfl09bis"> | <div CLASS="epfl09bis"> | ||
| + | <br><br> | ||
==Concept== | ==Concept== | ||
| + | <br> | ||
<div style="text-align:justify;"> | <div style="text-align:justify;"> | ||
| - | [[Image:LovTAP_dimer.png|right|300px|LovTAP dimer bound to DNA]] | + | [[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. | 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. | ||
| Line 15: | Line 17: | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| - | + | <br><br><br><br> | |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:100%;" | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:100%;" | ||
|- | |- | ||
Latest revision as of 22:45, 21 October 2009
Concept
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.
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
|
|---|
