Team:Minnesota/Project

Overall project


Control systems are an integral component of almost all aspects of life. Whether it is in industrial, biological, or chemical applications, controllers provide a way to keep systems functioning properly. A vital part of any control system is the comparator. This component compares a set point value and a measured value, and determines which is larger. It then sends the appropriate signal to the rest of the system. In typical applications, this system is electronic. However, our team set out to create a comparator using only genetic components. This comparator could potentially be used as part of a new, solely biological control system that could be used to treat many diseases afflicting humans, for example diabetes. This comparator could compare a diabetics blood sugar to what it should be, and send this result to a control system that could compensate.

In order to undertake this task, a system involving six genes was designed. For our system, the two inputs (one representing the set point and one representing the measured value) are IPTG and ATC. These inputs will activate the transcription of the LacI and TetR proteins, and set in motion the rest of the system to produce the outputs. Depending on the amounts of the two inducer molecules added to the system, either green fluorescent protein(GFP) or red fluorescent protein(RFP) will be produced. The actual design of the system can be seen below. In order to complete this project, a total of six genes will have to be cloned into plasmids, and two new BioBrick parts will be produced. One will be a TetR and p22 mnt dual-repressed promoter, and the other will be a LacI and lambdaphage cI dual-repressed promoter. This project will pave the way for other parts of a true genetic PID controller to be produced, which could be an exciting scientific development in the near future.

Relevant Papers
{| Protocol Papers

Basic BioBrick Design
 * [[Media:BacterialcultureMN.pdf|Bacteria Culture Protocols]]
 * [[Media:PCRtutorialMN.pdf|PCR Tutorial]]
 * [[Media:SubcloningMN.pdf|Subcloning]]
 * [[Media:TransformationsMN.pdf|Transformations]]
 * [[Media:Western_blottingMN.pdf|Western Blotting 1]]
 * [[Media:WesternblotMN.pdf|Western Blotting 2]]
 * [[Media:TransformationsMN.pdf|Transformations]]
 * [[Media:Western_blottingMN.pdf|Western Blotting 1]]
 * [[Media:WesternblotMN.pdf|Western Blotting 2]]
 * [[Media:Western_blottingMN.pdf|Western Blotting 1]]
 * [[Media:WesternblotMN.pdf|Western Blotting 2]]
 * [[Media:WesternblotMN.pdf|Western Blotting 2]]

Combinatorial Promoters Papers
 * [[Media:Biobricks vector designMN.pdf|BioBrick Vector Design Paper]]
 * [[Media:Biobricks vector designMN.pdf|BioBrick Vector Design Paper]]

p22 mnt Papers
 * [[Media:ModularANDgateMN.pdf|Modular AND Gate]]
 * [[Media:CisRegulatoryInputMN.pdf|cis Regulatory Input]]
 * [[Media:CombinatorialpromotersMN.pdf|Combinatorial Promoters]]
 * [[Media:DirectedEvolutionofAraCMN.pdf|Directed Evolution of AraC]]
 * [[Media:CombinatorialpromotersMN.pdf|Combinatorial Promoters]]
 * [[Media:DirectedEvolutionofAraCMN.pdf|Directed Evolution of AraC]]
 * [[Media:DirectedEvolutionofAraCMN.pdf|Directed Evolution of AraC]]
 * [[Media:DirectedEvolutionofAraCMN.pdf|Directed Evolution of AraC]]

Light Sensor Papers
 * [[Media:Mnt01MN.pdf|DNA binding specificity of the Arc and Mnt repressors]]
 * [[Media:Mnt02MN.pdf|Bacteriophage P22 Mnt Repressor]]
 * [[Media:P22mntMN.pdf|The Bacteriophage P22 Arc and Mnt Repressors]]
 * [[Media:Mnt02MN.pdf|Bacteriophage P22 Mnt Repressor]]
 * [[Media:P22mntMN.pdf|The Bacteriophage P22 Arc and Mnt Repressors]]
 * [[Media:P22mntMN.pdf|The Bacteriophage P22 Arc and Mnt Repressors]]


 * [[Media:Chevalier_light_sensorMN.pdf|Chevalier Light Sensor]]
 * [[Media:Young_light_sensor_reviewMN.pdf|Young Light Sensor]]
 * [[Media:Young_UV_light_sensor_caged_IPTGMN.pdf|Young Light Sensor (caged IPTG)]]
 * [[Media:Young_light_sensor_reviewMN.pdf|Young Light Sensor]]
 * [[Media:Young_UV_light_sensor_caged_IPTGMN.pdf|Young Light Sensor (caged IPTG)]]
 * [[Media:Young_UV_light_sensor_caged_IPTGMN.pdf|Young Light Sensor (caged IPTG)]]