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Team:Michigan/Project
From 2010.igem.org
Overall project
Our project has several different tracks that we will be working on in the wet-lab simultaneously. These tracks include quorum sensing, pili hyperexpression, and surface display. We made the decision to work in several tracks in order to maximize the efficiency of our lab teams. Our goal is to be able to combine all of these parts in the end and form an organism that will be able to effectively flocculate microalgae.
Quorum Sensing
Our cells will use quorum sensing to determine when the flocculation will start. The cells will produce an inducer either AHL or AI-2.
Pili Hyperexpression
Type 1 pili are proteinaceous adhesins that are found on the surface of E. coli. The pili help E. coli. form biofilms. By overproducing the pili, we hope to increase flocculation. Another gene we are looking at controls pilus adhesin, which is an adhesive substance located on the pili. By hyperexpressing this gene, we can increase the amount of pilus adhesin (Fig. 1), which will hopefully strengthen the E. coli binding to the algae.
