Team:Montreal

From 2008.igem.org

(Difference between revisions)

Revision as of 01:23, 17 June 2008

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

Project Overview: Elucidating an Experimentally Viable Repressilator

Although typically used to describe physical phenomena, oscillations are also observed in a range of biological processes such as the circadian rhythm, neuronal communication and nephron function. Elowitz and Liebler (2000) postulated that a relaxation oscillator system called the Repressilator, composed of three genes tied in negative feedback loops, would generate oscillations in protein expression within a cell. Using one of these genes linked with a Yellow Fluorescent Protein (YFP) gene to create a reporter plasmid, we expect to see the cells blinking over time as the concentration of the repressing proteins fluctuate.

The two-gene intercellular system (Macmillen 2002) examined in past iGEM projects developed instability and over extended periods of time, and in an effort to improve the consistency and adjustability of the oscillations, the Repressilator will be used, which in theory should have better long-term fidelity in oscillation patterns. Despite the foreseeable advantages of Elowitz's theoretical system, the repressilator has yet to be reproduced empirically; in addition, theoretical models indicate that, in general, these synthetic oscillatory systems in bacteria degrade and become irregular, unlike the natural, physiological oscillations of larger lifeforms. B

Building on previous years of research, the McGill University iGEM team intends to construct a set of Biobricks that will mimic the repressilator behavior and maintain synchronous oscillations in a large population of cells. If accomplished, our theorists and experimentalists will cooperate to refine this system using various modifications to further our understanding of biological clocks and their functioning.

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 == '''Project Overview: Elucidating an Experimentally Viable Repressilator''' ==
-Although typically used to describe physical phenoma, oscillations are also observed in a range of biological processes such as the circadian rhythm, neuronal communication and nephron function. In 2000, Elowitz and Liebler described a theoretically viable bacterial system known as the ‘repressilator’ composed of three genes that repress one another circularly to generate oscillations in protein expression. Building on a previously established two gene system described by Macmillen et.al. that demonstrated instability over extended periods of time, the repressilator was posed as the solution to establish greater long-term fidelity in the oscillation patterns. Despite the potential advantages to reproducing such a system, the repressilator has yet to be rendered experimentally. Building on previous years of research, we intend to construct a viable set of bio-bricks that will maintain synchronous oscillations in a large population of cells. Once accomplished, our theorists and experimentalists will co-operate to refine this system using various modifications to further our understanding of biological clocks and their functioning.
+Although typically used to describe physical phenomena, oscillations are also observed in a range of biological processes such as the circadian rhythm, neuronal communication and nephron function. Elowitz and Liebler (2000) postulated that a relaxation oscillator system called the Repressilator, composed of three genes tied in negative feedback loops, would generate oscillations in protein expression within a cell. Using one of these genes linked with a Yellow Fluorescent Protein (YFP) gene to create a reporter plasmid, we expect to see the cells blinking over time as the concentration of the repressing proteins fluctuate.
+The two-gene intercellular system (Macmillen 2002) examined in past iGEM projects developed instability and over extended periods of time, and in an effort to improve the consistency and adjustability of the oscillations, the Repressilator will be used, which in theory should have better long-term fidelity in oscillation patterns. Despite the foreseeable advantages of Elowitz's theoretical system, the repressilator has yet to be reproduced empirically; in addition, theoretical models indicate that, in general, these synthetic oscillatory systems in bacteria degrade and become irregular, unlike the natural, physiological oscillations of larger lifeforms. B
+Building on previous years of research, the McGill University iGEM team intends to construct a set of Biobricks that will mimic the repressilator behavior and maintain synchronous oscillations in a large population of cells. If accomplished, our theorists and experimentalists will cooperate to refine this system using various modifications to further our understanding of biological clocks and their functioning.