Team:William and Mary/Results
Over the summer we successfully characterized each individual component of the Circuit Control Toolbox. Each of these components
can be used either individually or in concert to orthogonally modify the output of transfer functions of an arbitrary genetic circuit.
We also characterized many existing parts and created a predictive mathematical model of molecular titration. The entirety of the
circuit toolbox as well as the parts used to characterized them has been submitted to the registry, on a unified backbone designed
for ease of use with Gibson Assembly.
Achievements
* Characterized four orthogonal methods to control transfer functions.
1. The ribozyme RiboJ was used to insulate circuits and characterization from genetic context.
2. A synthetic enhancer system was characterized, allowing for multistate response.
3. The Community Library of RBSs was characterized under a variety of conditions, using RiboJ to ensure that results were generalizable. These RBSs can be used to tune the amplitude of the transfer function of an arbitrary genetic circuit.
4. Molecular titration was characterized using a repeat sequence array, which allows an arbitrary genetic circuit to shift it’s transfer function along the x axis.
* Created a suite of parts that allows for the construction of variable length repeat LacO or TetO arrays.
* Participated in the Interlab Measurement Project.
* Created a mathematical model of molecular titration of arbitrary length repeat arrays.
* Hosted several community events to raise awareness for synthetic biology
> Hosted a Building with Biology Forum with the community to discuss the potential risks and benefits of synthetic biology tools such as CRISPR/Cas9.
> Hosted a Building with Biology workshop with local children aged 6-13 to raise interest in the field of synthetic biology.
> Hosted a synthetic biology event as part of the William and Mary summer program Higher Achievement in Middle Schoolers
* Created a website Learnsynbio.org designed to provide an overview of of synthetic biology for High School students, which can be used either out of classroom, as a tie in to the AP curriculum, or as a supplemental unit.
* Collaborated with UPitt and Alverno to characterize our RBS library in two different cell free systems.
* In total submitted 118 new parts to the registry, many of which were characterized on several plasmid backbones.
Results
