From 2009.igem.org
Project 1
Project 2
Image:Project overview
Another project is to engineer a Yeast Two-hybrid system aimed at Microcystins(MCs, induce liver cancer) detection in waters. The threat of MCs in seas, rivers, lakes and Reservoirs has become more and more severe worldwide due to eutrophication in pulltion waters. This MCs detection device takes the advatage of Gal4 promoter, which consists of two domains, one is AD(Activation domain), the other BD(Binding domain). When AD and BD are close enough to each other, the Report gene transcription LacZ willed trigued. We selected and modified two peptides that have specific interation with MCs, and engineered them into two vectors to construct a Yeast Two-hybrid system. In the presence of MCs at different concentrations, blue dots in different shades of colours could be seen with naked eyes.
As we know, there are far more nitrogen and Phosphor elements in polluted waters, which is called eutrophication, resulting in algal blooms and red tides. Fishes, prowns and almost all the living creatures in these waters are killed by the high concentration of MCs that are produced by algea. It is also a severe threat to drinking water and water in daily use, for MCs induce liver cancer. What's more, the existed detecting technologies are complicated, expensive, time-consuming and require an expert to handle the devices.
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