Team:Valencia/Project

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== '''Project description''' ==
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== '''Valencia iGEM09 Project description''' ==
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The <b>iGEM Valencia Lighting Cell Display</b> (<b>iLCD</b>) is our project for the present iGEM competition. We are developing '''BioElectronics''', a combination of Electronics and Biology. We hereby prove that cell behaviour is controlled by electrical pulses. In order to demonstrate this, we are making <b>a “bio-screen” of voltage-activated cells</b>, where every “cellular pixel” produces light. '''It is just like a bacterial photographic system, but it's digital'''. Within seconds, instead of hours, you can get an image formed of living cells.
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It is known that for instance <b>neurons, cardiomyocites or muscle cells</b> are able to sense and respond to electrical signals. These cells use a common second messenger system, calcium ion, which promotes a defined response when an electrical pulse is supplied to them. Nevertheless, these cultures present several disadvantages in order to use them from the technological point of view:
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The <b>iGEM Valencia Lighting Cell Display</b> (<b>iLCD</b>) is our project for the present iGEM competition. We plan to make <b>a “bio-screen” of voltage-activated cells</b>, where every “cellular pixel” produces light.  
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* Get easily contaminated.
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We know of several kinds of cells that are acknowledged to sense and respond to electrical signals, namely <b>neurons, cardiomyocites and muscle cells</b>. These cells use a common second messenger system, calcium ion, which is the molecule that will trigger the light production. Furthermore, we will also work on yeast, even though the lack of knowledge in <i>Saccharomyces</i> electrophysiology, so we can have a wide range of cell types where to choose from to build our iLCD. The main advantages of using electrical signals instead of chemical stimulation, as in the Coliroid project (Levskaya et al, <i>Synthetic biology: Engineering Escherichia coli to see light</i>. <b>Nature</b> 438, 441-442),  are reversibility and high frequency: the system can go back to the resting state and it will take <b>milliseconds to refresh an image, actually showing animated pictures!</b>.
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* Genetic manipulation is complicated and expensive.
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If Molecular Biology is only one of the pillars on top of which this project is established, Engineering is the second pillar. We need to <b>design and build some hardware, and fine tune the software, which allows sending, for the first time in history, electrical signals to an array of cells of our “bio-screen”</b>. Moreover, the dry lab team will model the voltage-activation and light production, taking into account the <b>different cell types as well as the possible noises that could happen on the bench</b>.</span>
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* To be very sensible to external conditions.  
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Valencia Team uses this electricity sensibility of calcium channel to <b>produce yeast luminescence as a response to electrical estimulous</b>. This project constitutes the '''FIRST TIME in which the electrical response of <i>Saccharomyces</i> and its potential applications have been tested''' building the first '''LEC''' (Light Emitting Cell). The obtained device will be used to build the first '''iLCD''' in history.
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Therefore, the project is divided in several stages from the fabrication of the first '''LEC''' up to the cooperative integration of various LECs in the first '''iLCD'''. The global scheme of the project is summarized in the following scheme:
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Three main parts can be appreciated:
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The third pillar of this project will be Human Practices. We are going to reflect on the perception that different groups of people, from a variety of educational levels and professional areas, have on Synthetic Biology. <b>For this reason, we have made a survey that has already [http://igemvalencia.questionpro.com been published] and will appear in our wiki and in the well-known social network “Facebook”</b>.
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* LEC Construction.
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<b>iLCD will be a major advance in Synthetic Biology, opening the field of Green Electronics, integrating electrical signals with cell behaviours</b>. This will reduce the response time of the cells to the activation signal by up to two orders of magnitude, as well as foster the combination of Electronics and Biology.
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* LEC Characterization.
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<div style="color:red; text-align:center; font-size:12pt; font-family: Verdana"><b>stay tuned for news and progresses!!</b></div>
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* iLCD: LEC Integration Device.
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The main advantages of using electrical signals instead of chemical stimulation, as in the Coliroid project (Levskaya et al, <i>Synthetic biology: Engineering Escherichia coli to see light</i>. <b>Nature</b> 438, 441-442),  are reversibility and high frequency: the system goes back to the resting state and it take <b>seconds (down to 12 seconds) to refresh an image, actually showing animated pictures!</b>. For that reason, we chose the calcium signaling because it is the fastest known modality of signaling in biology, and will allow for a fast refreshing rate of the screen.
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<b>iLCD will be a major advance in Synthetic Biology, opening the field of BioElectronics, integrating electrical signals with cell behaviours</b>. This will reduce the response time of the cells to the activation signal by up to two orders of magnitude, as well as foster the combination of Electronics and Biology. Thus, our engineered yeast are a state-of-art bioelectronic device.
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Latest revision as of 03:22, 22 October 2009


Project description


The iGEM Valencia Lighting Cell Display (iLCD) is our project for the present iGEM competition. We are developing BioElectronics, a combination of Electronics and Biology. We hereby prove that cell behaviour is controlled by electrical pulses. In order to demonstrate this, we are making a “bio-screen” of voltage-activated cells, where every “cellular pixel” produces light. It is just like a bacterial photographic system, but it's digital. Within seconds, instead of hours, you can get an image formed of living cells.

It is known that for instance neurons, cardiomyocites or muscle cells are able to sense and respond to electrical signals. These cells use a common second messenger system, calcium ion, which promotes a defined response when an electrical pulse is supplied to them. Nevertheless, these cultures present several disadvantages in order to use them from the technological point of view:

  • Get easily contaminated.
  • Genetic manipulation is complicated and expensive.
  • To be very sensible to external conditions.

Valencia Team uses this electricity sensibility of calcium channel to produce yeast luminescence as a response to electrical estimulous. This project constitutes the FIRST TIME in which the electrical response of Saccharomyces and its potential applications have been tested building the first LEC (Light Emitting Cell). The obtained device will be used to build the first iLCD in history.

Therefore, the project is divided in several stages from the fabrication of the first LEC up to the cooperative integration of various LECs in the first iLCD. The global scheme of the project is summarized in the following scheme:


Three main parts can be appreciated:

  • LEC Construction.
  • LEC Characterization.
  • iLCD: LEC Integration Device.

The main advantages of using electrical signals instead of chemical stimulation, as in the Coliroid project (Levskaya et al, Synthetic biology: Engineering Escherichia coli to see light. Nature 438, 441-442), are reversibility and high frequency: the system goes back to the resting state and it take seconds (down to 12 seconds) to refresh an image, actually showing animated pictures!. For that reason, we chose the calcium signaling because it is the fastest known modality of signaling in biology, and will allow for a fast refreshing rate of the screen.

iLCD will be a major advance in Synthetic Biology, opening the field of BioElectronics, integrating electrical signals with cell behaviours. This will reduce the response time of the cells to the activation signal by up to two orders of magnitude, as well as foster the combination of Electronics and Biology. Thus, our engineered yeast are a state-of-art bioelectronic device.



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