Difference between revisions of "Team:BostonU"
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Currently in the field, most methods of gene regulation are either digital (transcriptional | Currently in the field, most methods of gene regulation are either digital (transcriptional | ||
activators, repressors, and inducible circuits) or they are analog (oscillatory circuits). This | activators, repressors, and inducible circuits) or they are analog (oscillatory circuits). This | ||
| − | summer our team desires to develop a synthetic promoter toolkit that can generate both digital and analog genetic expression. | + | summer our team desires to develop a synthetic promoter toolkit that can generate both digital and analog genetic |
| + | expression. | ||
| − | To do this, we have developed three main aims for our work this summer. The first aim is to develop a digital toolkit that is tunable, modular, and orthogonal. Tunable refers to a system with consistent replicable levels of gene expression similar across several activating complexes. Modular refers to a tolerance to several genes of interest and genetic architectures. Orthogonality refers a system that will not activate endogenous genes as well as produce cross talk over several activating complexes. The second aim is to develop the analog component of the toolkit by developing a grade genetic expression. By this, we are referring to a system that can produce low, medium, and high levels of gene expression with the same level of accuracy as the digital component of the toolkit. Finally, our system must be able to function in the complex cellular environment of human cells | + | To do this, we have developed three main aims for our work this summer. The first aim is to develop a digital |
| + | toolkit that is tunable, modular, and orthogonal. Tunable refers to a system with consistent replicable levels of gene | ||
| + | expression similar across several activating complexes. Modular refers to a tolerance to several genes of interest and | ||
| + | genetic architectures. Orthogonality refers a system that will not activate endogenous genes as well as produce cross | ||
| + | talk over several activating complexes. The second aim is to develop the analog component of the toolkit by developing | ||
| + | a grade genetic expression. By this, we are referring to a system that can produce low, medium, and high levels of gene | ||
| + | expression with the same level of accuracy as the digital component of the toolkit. Finally, our system must be able to | ||
| + | function in the complex cellular environment of human cells to prepare it for ultimate use in therapies. | ||
| − | To perform these task, we discussed the various methods by with gene expression can be modulated in cells. These techniques include Zinc Finger, TALEN, and CRISPR/dCas9. The decision was reached that CRISPR/dCas9 would be the tool of choice for our toolkit due to both its ease to engineer as well as its legacy in the foundational research category of iGEM (see Freiburg 2013). | + | To perform these task, we discussed the various methods by with gene expression can be modulated in cells. |
| + | These techniques include Zinc Finger, TALEN, and CRISPR/dCas9. The decision was reached that CRISPR/dCas9 would | ||
| + | be the tool of choice for our toolkit due to both its ease to engineer as well as its legacy in the foundational research | ||
| + | category of iGEM (see Freiburg 2013). | ||
| − | As a foundational advancement focused group, applications for our project are years off, however there are several speculative areas of interest. In many cases production of proteins harmful to host cells, like antibiotics, are difficult to do in large quantities due to the risk of death to host cells. By introducing a scalable response, scientists can increase efficiency without killing the host cell by properly finding the point at which the cells metabolism can no longer contend with the stress. In regards to therapeutics, this system could either allow doctors to properly dose a patient with gene expression in a similar way to how traditional pharmaceuticals functions. In addition, if this system was integrated with genetic logic circuits, the level of gene expression during a therapy could be theoretically modulated after implantation to once again better address the needs of a patient. | + | As a foundational advancement focused group, applications for our project are years off, however there are several |
| + | speculative areas of interest. In many cases production of proteins harmful to host cells, like antibiotics, are difficult to do | ||
| + | in large quantities due to the risk of death to host cells. By introducing a scalable response, scientists can increase efficiency | ||
| + | without killing the host cell by properly finding the point at which the cells metabolism can no longer contend with the | ||
| + | stress. In regards to therapeutics, this system could either allow doctors to properly dose a patient with gene expression in a | ||
| + | similar way to how traditional pharmaceuticals functions. In addition, if this system was integrated with genetic logic circuits, | ||
| + | the level of gene expression during a therapy could be theoretically modulated after implantation to once again better address | ||
| + | the needs of a patient. | ||
Revision as of 17:38, 27 June 2016
Project Description
Synthetic biologists seek to control the behaviors, specifically those behaviors dictated by gene expression. To do this, they look to cells to provide a blueprint for their designs. However, scientists like Timothy Lu have noticed a distinct dichotomy in the field of synthetic biology surrounding cellular blue prints, “Living cells implement ... both analogue- and digital-like processing ... In contrast to natural biological systems, synthetic biological systems have largely focused on either digital or analogue computation separately.” Currently in the field, most methods of gene regulation are either digital (transcriptional activators, repressors, and inducible circuits) or they are analog (oscillatory circuits). This summer our team desires to develop a synthetic promoter toolkit that can generate both digital and analog genetic expression. To do this, we have developed three main aims for our work this summer. The first aim is to develop a digital toolkit that is tunable, modular, and orthogonal. Tunable refers to a system with consistent replicable levels of gene expression similar across several activating complexes. Modular refers to a tolerance to several genes of interest and genetic architectures. Orthogonality refers a system that will not activate endogenous genes as well as produce cross talk over several activating complexes. The second aim is to develop the analog component of the toolkit by developing a grade genetic expression. By this, we are referring to a system that can produce low, medium, and high levels of gene expression with the same level of accuracy as the digital component of the toolkit. Finally, our system must be able to function in the complex cellular environment of human cells to prepare it for ultimate use in therapies. To perform these task, we discussed the various methods by with gene expression can be modulated in cells. These techniques include Zinc Finger, TALEN, and CRISPR/dCas9. The decision was reached that CRISPR/dCas9 would be the tool of choice for our toolkit due to both its ease to engineer as well as its legacy in the foundational research category of iGEM (see Freiburg 2013). As a foundational advancement focused group, applications for our project are years off, however there are several speculative areas of interest. In many cases production of proteins harmful to host cells, like antibiotics, are difficult to do in large quantities due to the risk of death to host cells. By introducing a scalable response, scientists can increase efficiency without killing the host cell by properly finding the point at which the cells metabolism can no longer contend with the stress. In regards to therapeutics, this system could either allow doctors to properly dose a patient with gene expression in a similar way to how traditional pharmaceuticals functions. In addition, if this system was integrated with genetic logic circuits, the level of gene expression during a therapy could be theoretically modulated after implantation to once again better address the needs of a patient.
Welcome to iGEM 2016!
Your team has been approved and you are ready to start the iGEM season!
Before you start:
Please read the following pages:
Styling your wiki
You may style this page as you like or you can simply leave the style as it is. You can easily keep the styling and edit the content of these default wiki pages with your project information and completely fulfill the requirement to document your project.
While you may not win Best Wiki with this styling, your team is still eligible for all other awards. This default wiki meets the requirements, it improves navigability and ease of use for visitors, and you should not feel it is necessary to style beyond what has been provided.
Wiki template information
We have created these wiki template pages to help you get started and to help you think about how your team will be evaluated. You can find a list of all the pages tied to awards here at the Pages for awards link. You must edit these pages to be evaluated for medals and awards, but ultimately the design, layout, style and all other elements of your team wiki is up to you!
Editing your wiki
On this page you can document your project, introduce your team members, document your progress and share your iGEM experience with the rest of the world!
Tips
This wiki will be your team’s first interaction with the rest of the world, so here are a few tips to help you get started:
- State your accomplishments! Tell people what you have achieved from the start.
- Be clear about what you are doing and how you plan to do this.
- You have a global audience! Consider the different backgrounds that your users come from.
- Make sure information is easy to find; nothing should be more than 3 clicks away.
- Avoid using very small fonts and low contrast colors; information should be easy to read.
- Start documenting your project as early as possible; don’t leave anything to the last minute before the Wiki Freeze. For a complete list of deadlines visit the iGEM 2016 calendar
- Have lots of fun!
Inspiration
You can also view other team wikis for inspiration! Here are some examples:
Uploading pictures and files
You can upload your pictures and files to the iGEM 2016 server. Remember to keep all your pictures and files within your team's namespace or at least include your team's name in the file name.
When you upload, set the "Destination Filename" to Team:YourOfficialTeamName/NameOfFile.jpg. (If you don't do this, someone else might upload a different file with the same "Destination Filename", and your file would be erased!)
