"
Team:ETHZ Basel
From 2010.igem.org
(→E. lemming) |
|||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
== WELCOME to the ETHZ Basel team wiki!== | == WELCOME to the ETHZ Basel team wiki!== | ||
| - | === E | + | === E. lemming === |
[[Image:Setup.jpg|thumb|400px|'''Figure 1.''' Setup to control ''E. coli'' movements. An automatized microscope images the E. lemming. A connected computer system detects and tracks the cells. The direction of movement of the E. lemming is compared to the desired direction defined by the user, e.g. with a joystick. If the direction of movement deviates too much from the desired direction, the digital controller induces tumbling by sending a red light pulse. Otherwise, tumbling is repressed by sending a far-red light pulse.]] | [[Image:Setup.jpg|thumb|400px|'''Figure 1.''' Setup to control ''E. coli'' movements. An automatized microscope images the E. lemming. A connected computer system detects and tracks the cells. The direction of movement of the E. lemming is compared to the desired direction defined by the user, e.g. with a joystick. If the direction of movement deviates too much from the desired direction, the digital controller induces tumbling by sending a red light pulse. Otherwise, tumbling is repressed by sending a far-red light pulse.]] | ||
Revision as of 11:28, 6 September 2010
WELCOME to the ETHZ Basel team wiki!
E. lemming
The core idea of our project is to control chemotaxis of E. coli- by means of light! We'll realize this by hijacking and perturbing the tumbling / directed flagellar movement apparatus. By coupling directed flagellar movement regulating proteins to a novel synthetic light-sensitive spatial localization system, their activity can be controlled reversibly. A light-sensitive dimerizing complex fused to this regulating proteins at a spatially fixed location is induced by light pulses and therefore localization of the two molecules can be manipulated. Tumbling / directed flagellar movement rates are monitored by image processing algorithms, which are linked to the light-pulse generator. This means that E. coli tumbling is induced or suppressed simply by pressing a light switch! This synthetic network enables control of single E. coli cells: We'll make them move like mindless "Lemmings" in the direction they are forced to go!
