Calgary/project summary

( 1 )

Each engineered cell (blue capsule) has genes (green box with arrow) for a light sensing protein (green oval)

( 2 )

The light sensor is activated by passing the beam from a laser pointer over the petri plate

( 3 )

The light sensor controls another gene (red box with arrow), for the protein agarase (red circles). Once activated by the laser pointer, the light sensor activates the agarase gene.

( 4 )

Agarase breaks down the jello-like matrix that the cells rest on. When many cells produce agarase a depression becomes visible on the petri plate.

( 1 )

Before the simulation is run the user will select the parametres of the program. That is they must decide what genes they would like they evolved system to express, the amount of time the simulation will be given to run and percentage chance of mutations occurring.

( 2 )

After the user has entered the information about the desired circut (circut in this context referring to the series of parts that compose an expression system) evoGEM will begin to search through its database of registry parts and attempt to assemble a circut that meets the specifiec requirements

( 3 )

Circuts identified by evoGEM are run through a fitness function that assesses how close the current circut is to meeting the user defined specifications

( 4 )

evoGEM will continue to develop new circuts until it has run for the predefined length of time. At which point the system should be able to display several circuts with the capability to meet the user defined specifications.