Team:Uppsala-SwedenProject

Project Description:

Our project for iGEM 2010 involves building a biological rate detection sensor and demonstrating its usefulness in building a bio-clock and color display unit.

The rate detection mechanism makes use of a pair of of promoters with different efficiencies to detect the quantitative value of the input signal.

Figure 1:Schematic showing quorum sensing behaviour and responses which relate to band detect. Adapted from Basu S et.al, 2005.

Commercial value of the project:

This project has many specific as well as diverse applications which give it a huge commercial value. In its simplest form the rate detection sensor can be used in combination with other chemical sensors to quantify toxic chemicals or specific enzymes within the body. The sensor can be combined with drug delivery systems which delivers drugs at a particular time and place. Other application such as the Color Display Unit will help in further development of the field of bio-electronics. Bio-clock gives yet another approach to building an oscillator which has many applications of its own. Moreover, the rate detection sensor can be used in building complex devices that are not affected by noise due to their rate specific action.

Project concept:

The rate detect sensor is based on the concept of the ‘band detect cells’ designed by Basu et al 2005, at Princeton University. These band detect cells use two plasmids (pHD{x} and pLD) in combination to detect the AHL concentration band.