"
Team:EPF Lausanne/Project
From 2010.igem.org
(→Project idea) |
(→Results) |
||
| Line 61: | Line 61: | ||
[[Image:EPFL check list results.png|right|380px|caption]] | [[Image:EPFL check list results.png|right|380px|caption]] | ||
| - | We established [https://2010.igem.org/Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_asaia Asaia as a new chassis] by providing detailed [[Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_asaia#Do you want to work with Asaia?|tech-sheets]] on how to manipulate it. | + | We established [https://2010.igem.org/Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_asaia ''Asaia'' as a new chassis] by providing detailed [[Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_asaia#Do you want to work with Asaia?|tech-sheets]] on how to manipulate it. |
We constructed several [https://2010.igem.org/Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_parts biobricks] with which selected [https://2010.igem.org/Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_immuno proteins] to block [https://2010.igem.org/wiki/index.php?title=Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_malaria malaria] infection of mosquitoes can be produced. We also made Asaia-specific biobricks, such as the [[Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_parts#Promoter_characterization|CFP construct to test expression]]. | We constructed several [https://2010.igem.org/Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_parts biobricks] with which selected [https://2010.igem.org/Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_immuno proteins] to block [https://2010.igem.org/wiki/index.php?title=Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_malaria malaria] infection of mosquitoes can be produced. We also made Asaia-specific biobricks, such as the [[Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_parts#Promoter_characterization|CFP construct to test expression]]. | ||
| - | These basics will allow future iGEM teams to use Asaia and manipulate it | + | These basics will allow future iGEM teams to use ''Asaia'' and manipulate it |
to fight mosquito-bourne diseases. | to fight mosquito-bourne diseases. | ||
| Line 69: | Line 69: | ||
We could not show expression of the P-proteins, probably due to the AT-rich sequence. | We could not show expression of the P-proteins, probably due to the AT-rich sequence. | ||
| - | Furthermore we tested the [[Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_droso#I) Experiments on Drosophila|persistence of Asaia in ''D. melanogaster'']] to see if it could be used as an alternative host to facilitate research. The results showed that Asaia is not persistent and we assume that it is because Asaia is very specific to mosquitoes. | + | Furthermore we tested the [[Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_droso#I) Experiments on Drosophila|persistence of ''Asaia'' in ''D. melanogaster'']] to see if it could be used as an alternative host to facilitate research. The results showed that ''Asaia'' is not persistent and we assume that it is because ''Asaia'' is very specific to mosquitoes. |
For further steps of our project we established a [[Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_droso#II) Experiments on mosquitoes|collaboration with the Pasteur institute]] in Paris that works on mosquitoes. | For further steps of our project we established a [[Team:EPF_Lausanne/Project_droso#II) Experiments on mosquitoes|collaboration with the Pasteur institute]] in Paris that works on mosquitoes. | ||
Revision as of 17:38, 27 October 2010
Overview
This page provides an overview over our project idea and the results we achieved.
Project idea
The ultimate aim of our project is to contribute to stopping the spread of Malaria. To do so, we hope to genetically modify a bacterium that is naturally present in Anopheles. If we succeed, this will interrupt the malaria cycle in the mosquito, thereby preventing transmission of the parasite to healthy humans.
Our idea is to engineer Asaia, a bacterium that is naturally present in the mosquito's intestinal tract.
This bacterium would express an immunotoxin and specific proteins to kill the P. falciparum or prevent its entry into the epithelium.
The immunotoxin and the proteins could be able to stop the infection of Anopheles mosquitoes by P. falciparum.
Our host bacterium Asaia is an organism that is not only easy to grow and genetically manipulate but also naturally present in the ecosystem. We aim to establish Asaia as a new chassis to give future iGEM teams the opportunity to quickly and efficiently engineer new and more potent Asaia strains. This would provide synthetic biology with a useful tool in the fight against malaria and other mosquito borne diseases.
So... ASAIA is the pink power against malaria.....
For a playful overview of our project, you can watch our awesome movie
iGEM EPFL movie
Results
We established Asaia as a new chassis by providing detailed tech-sheets on how to manipulate it. We constructed several biobricks with which selected proteins to block malaria infection of mosquitoes can be produced. We also made Asaia-specific biobricks, such as the CFP construct to test expression. These basics will allow future iGEM teams to use Asaia and manipulate it to fight mosquito-bourne diseases.
The expression of the proteins intended to block P. falciparum was tested in E. coli. The tests showed that the immunotoxin is expressed and it also appears in the supernatant, which is evidence for secretion. We could not show expression of the P-proteins, probably due to the AT-rich sequence.
Furthermore we tested the persistence of Asaia in D. melanogaster to see if it could be used as an alternative host to facilitate research. The results showed that Asaia is not persistent and we assume that it is because Asaia is very specific to mosquitoes.
For further steps of our project we established a collaboration with the Pasteur institute in Paris that works on mosquitoes.
