Team:University of Lethbridge/Project

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=== Part 1: Chemotaxis - the "search" from "search and destroy" ===
=== Part 1: Chemotaxis - the "search" from "search and destroy" ===
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Our subproject is to ensure our 'bacuum cleaner' will search out and move towards our potential target. Using a riboswitch which responds to this target, a gene involved in bacterial motility (CheZ) will be switched to an 'on' state. By doing so, we hope to observe the bacteria moving towards the target molecule in a positive chemotaxis manner.  
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Our subproject is to ensure our 'bacuum cleaner' will search out and move towards our potential target. Using a riboswitch which responds to this target, a gene involved in motility in ''Escherichia coli'' (''CheZ'') will be switched to an 'on' state. ''CheZ'' controls bacterial movement by dephosphorylating ''CheY'', altering the bacteria from random tumbling to directed movement. By doing so, we hope to observe the bacteria moving towards the target molecule in a positive chemotaxis manner.  
Because we wish to eventually have our bacteria degrade this activating compound, we need to have a multi-level response system established. Our bacteria should respond to low levels of the target by activating our CheZ riboswitch (through a strong binding aptamer) and to high levels by activating the catabolic pathway responsible for its degradation. By doing so, we will have created our 'search and destroy' system.
Because we wish to eventually have our bacteria degrade this activating compound, we need to have a multi-level response system established. Our bacteria should respond to low levels of the target by activating our CheZ riboswitch (through a strong binding aptamer) and to high levels by activating the catabolic pathway responsible for its degradation. By doing so, we will have created our 'search and destroy' system.

Revision as of 00:57, 25 June 2008

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Contents

Overall project

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Project Details

Part 1: Chemotaxis - the "search" from "search and destroy"

Our subproject is to ensure our 'bacuum cleaner' will search out and move towards our potential target. Using a riboswitch which responds to this target, a gene involved in motility in Escherichia coli (CheZ) will be switched to an 'on' state. CheZ controls bacterial movement by dephosphorylating CheY, altering the bacteria from random tumbling to directed movement. By doing so, we hope to observe the bacteria moving towards the target molecule in a positive chemotaxis manner.

Because we wish to eventually have our bacteria degrade this activating compound, we need to have a multi-level response system established. Our bacteria should respond to low levels of the target by activating our CheZ riboswitch (through a strong binding aptamer) and to high levels by activating the catabolic pathway responsible for its degradation. By doing so, we will have created our 'search and destroy' system.

Our subgroup will attempt to establish a working motility assay to prove control of chemotaxis is possible with an already characterized theophylline-binding riboswitch and later with our new target molecule. We will also use a colour read-out system of two fluorescent proteins to demonstrate the differential binding of the ligand at varying concentrations.

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Results


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Home The Team The Project Parts Submitted to the Registry Modeling Notebook

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