Biology

Improvement: logic gate genetic components

Previous Parts: BBa_K137008+BBa_K137010, BBa_J11032+BBa_J11033 Improved Part: BBa_K2041016

Compared with the previous parts, we combine the individual parts and design the double integrases site in order to make it possible for joint determination. And the part form an AND gate, which shows the probability of making up more complex combination of logic gates. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time of the double integrases system to be introduced in the field of early diagnosis of breast cancer by the simultaneous determination of two kinds of microRNA.

Innovation 1: ribosomal switch (Lock & Key)

Employing the Lock & Key part in our system reduce the background noise in order to achieve the lower limit of detection.

Innovation 2: RNA-based gene silencing expression

The features of gene silence make the detection of microRNA possible and effective in the engineering bacteria.

Hardware

we provide a low cost and non-laboratory hardware solution for pre-disease detection. Most of our components are based on standard open source hardware. Different from last year’s project, we have integrated cultivation and detection functions on one instrument, and make it work automatically which can make the detection more rapid, cheap and convenient.

In cultivation part, we developed a close loop thermostat system with Multi-point temperature measuring and PID temperature control algorithm, based on low cost open source hardware.

As for detection sensor, we used CMOS camera with better linearity instead of the old monolithic photodiode, providing higher detection accuracy. For measuring consistency, we used sliding table to build a mobile platform, achieved point-by-point detection, with can also improve detection accuracy.