Team:Newcastle/the problem
From 2010.igem.org
Subprojects
Linear DNA clock: Richard
Builds on idea about protecting against mutations. Rather than wait for a mutation to happen, could guarantee that genetically-engineered BS cell will not survive after a certain time. Idea is to linearise prokaryotic dna and insert two genes: one a repressor protein at a variable short distance from the cleaved site, and 2) a gene that codes for a cell- destroying protein of some sort which the repressor protein usually inhibits.
Remember telomeres? Idea is that every time the BS divides, its dna will become progressively shorter from either end. Thus the gene for the repressor protein will get eaten away. After time x (can be set by experimenter) the repressor gene will be rendered non-functional and no repressor protein is produced. This means that the second gene we inserted, which codes for the cell-destroying protein is free to kill the cell. No mutation, no residual problem of removing BS after treatment by idea 3.
At some point in evolution in the move from prokaryotic to eukaryotic genomes, the dna became linearised, so shouldn’t be such a hard problem to solve if we want the dna to stay this way. Could insert a piece of linear dna containing linear transcription machinery on it as well.