Boston University
From 2007.igem.org
About Us
Welcome to the wiki for Boston University's iGEM 2007 team!
Our team consists of David Shi, Rahul Ahuja, Christian Ling, and Danny Bellin, all soon-to-be juniors majoring in Biomedical Engineering at Boston University.
We are advised by [http://www.bu.edu/dbin/bme/faculty/?prof=tgardner Dr. Timothy Gardner], Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, as well as Frank Juhn and Stephen Schneider, students in the [http://www.gardnerlab.bu.edu Gardner Laboratory], where we work. We are grateful to our advisors for their time and support!
We are also grateful to Pfizer for their generous support of our team.
Our Project Plan
Our project is aimed at increasing current production from Shewanella Oneidensis by directed evolution of global transcription factors.
Our plan so far:
- Mutate global transcription factors
- Transform mutated genes into E. coli
- Choose plasmids
- Restriction enzyme digestion
- Ligation
- Transformation into E. coli
- Conjugate E. coli with Shewanella
- Screen/select for increased current production due to mutations. Potential methods:
- A...ose beads and fluorocytometer
- Metallo-Antibiotics
- Perhaps we could split our collection of mutants into different groups, measure their absorbances with spectrophotometry, and assume that the sample with the lowest absorbance contains mutants producing more electricity and is therefore growing slower. We could then split this sample into different groups and repeat.
Week's Goals
Wednesday 5/30
- Get all protocols
- Identify materials/prepare order
- Design Primers
- Learn about budget/POs
Thursday 5/31
- Do primer order
- Start conjugation practice
- Confirm restriction enzymes, ligases
- Order confirmed/needed materials
- Team Revew Meeting
Friday 6/1
- Evaluate/continue conjugation, practice electroporation for E. coli
- Meeting with Tim: Budgets/protocols, Pfizer/fundraising, iGEM registration, beads
