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From 2010.igem.org

Track

Health/Medicine

Abstract

Universal Platform for Polypeptide Delivery: Intelligent Delivery of Ingestible Enzyme Treatment (iDIET)

We have designed a universal platform for polypeptide release within the small intestine of the human gut. Our model system release beta-galactosidase, a functional homologue of human lactase, once it reaches the duodenum to help a lactose intolerant patient metabolize lactose. The chassis for this system is the common probiotic in yoghurt, Lactobacillus acidophilus. Upon reaching the small intestine lysis will occur by a timed inducible resprssible system, a bile-induced system, or an encryption system.

Once the Lactobacillus acidophilus has reached the duodenum, they will lyse by either by a timed inducible/repressible system, a bile-inducible system, or an encryption system.

Using DNA we can mimic the functionality of a combination lock, and produce a "locked" gene, which can be effectively "unlocked" only after a specific sequence of inputs. Since DNA functions as a logical medium, the "locked" and "unlocked" states are heritable, which makes this system useful as the computational basis for many higher-order genetic devices from bacterial calculators to engineering of new metabolic pathways to bacterial drug delivery systems.

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