Team:UChicago
Welcome to UChicago iGEM 2016!
We're gearing up for a great season!
Get to know us
We're a group of diverse weirdos lookin' to engineer some yeast an have a good time. Come meet our team members!
Project Description
The KaiABC system consists of three core proteins that comprise the 24-hour circadian clock endogenous to the cyanobacterium Synechocococcus elongatus. Oscillations are driven by the kinase activity of KaiC and its interactions with KaiA and KaiB which catalyze the cyclic auto-phosphorylation and auto-dephosphorylation of KaiC, respectively. The establishment of a modular circadian oscillator would be a useful tool for synthetic biology. The Kai oscillator can be reconstituted in vitro with purified protein, motivating a previous study to transplant the Kai system into E.coli (Chen et al, 2014). Our aim is to expand this line of research and transplant the Kai system into Saccharomyces cerevisiae, demonstrating this system in eukaryotes for the first time.
We first aim to express the Kai system in yeast with an appropriate protein stoichiometry. Once the oscillator has been properly established, reporter constructs utilizing a LexA-SasA fusion protein will be introduced which respond to phosphorylated and dephosphorylated KaiC, respectively, with the production of two different fluorescent markers. This will allow oscillations to be viewed in real time as varying concentrations of these fluorophores. It will also serve as proof-of-concept for a system with the ability to synthesize two temporally separated protein products generated during alternating 12-hour time spans, a tool with potential downstream applications in basic research and medicine. It also serves as a first step towards introducing the KaiABC system into higher eukaryotic organisms such as Drosophila and human cell lines.
Our Parts
Check out the parts we're designing and building here!
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!
Use WikiTools - Edit in the black menu bar to edit this page
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 T--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!)
