Team:Hong Kong HKUST/NUS
Collaborations with
iGEM team NUS Singapore
Modelling
This year, in addition to the wetlab module, we also collaborated on modelling part of our projects. To capture the dynamic of our tristable system, we built a simulation model based on chemical kinetics which assumes that the system is spatially homogenous (i.e. Diffusion of all molecules are neglected). This class of modelling approach simplifies the analysis, meanwhile being capable of capturing most of the properties of our system accurately; nonetheless, the formulation approach which considers diffusion processes as negligible may give rise to the loss of certain amount of information associated with diffusion of molecules, while these pieces information can be critical to some special dynamic of the system.
To tackle this, NUS helped us in developing a diffusion framework by applying their RIOT modelling system. Building on our original chemical-kinetics-based ordinary differential equation model, NUS modeller incorporated modules which describe the diffusion of the repressors, fluorescent proteins as well as both intracellular and extracellular inducers. Thanks to their work, we are able to have a more detailed and comprehensive understanding of the system’s behaviour on molecular level.
Characterisation of a particular constructs
Sharing similar experimental assay method, we collaborate in the wet-lab part by characterising four of their constructs with different strength processing a lactate responsive promoter and a sfGFP reporter gene. Repeating the assay method from the NUS Singapore iGEM team, the characterisation we did in the HKUST could act as another sets of data for further verification.
Unfortunately, it seemed that the bacteria was not in a good condition and the blank solution also showed very high fluorescence which were not compatible with the data obtained in the NUS. Therefore, the results could not be compared in the end.
*To learn more about the project of NUS Singapore iGEM team, please go to here.
