Team:NJAU_CHINA/Human practice

We have known that there are many scientists in the world who are working on this field. Many of the studies have done quite well. In contrast, there is a shortage of our subjects, but we also put forward our own ideas for this field. Although at present we may not see the practical value of the project, we believe that there is not a simple project in the world, we still need to do our best to complete it.

Project Evaluation

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e know that the purpose of human practice is to explore the impact of our subjects on our lives and the impact of this world on our subjects. As for biological memory, many aspects of the problem are similar. How much information can be stored on the disk? How fast is the rate of information being stored? What are the potential applications of biological memory? In order to get further understand of these problems, we not only have collected the relevant research, but also start a “virtual interview” with the top experts in the field of biological memory.

We have investigated some of the latest developments in the relevant field of cellular memory and biological logic circuit. Through the investigation of related articles, we have made a brief summary of the basic issues in the field of biological memory.

1st. How to define "biological memory"?
Almost all of the articles defined biological memory as a process is a kind of process that transforms the instant signal into a permanent signal. This process is different from simple logic circuits. It is more akin to a sequential logical system, in order to be used for more complex calculations or output in the future.
2nd. Why do we need to study and transform the biological memory?
Some studies suggest that the existence of biological memory determines the fate of cells. This is a determinant of cell differentiation and epigenetic inheritance. Although the cells cannot be used as supercomputers, some of them are still very interesting, they are more like a computing process. So just as a scholar said, the construction of synthetic memory circuits will improve our understanding of natural networks, further aiding the creation of useful, new biological tools.
3rd. What kind of mechanism can be used to achieve biological memory?
The simplest mechanism is the construction of a number of bistable systems. Latest statistics show the biological mechanisms include nucleic acid hybridization, DNA recombination, chromatin modification, transcription, and post-transcriptional phenomena. The latest research uses the reverse transcription enzyme to be used as a means to achieve a biological memory.
4th. What are the future applications of biological memory?
Biological memory can be used to monitor the changes of environmental ecological factors and the monitoring of the disease. It can also be used to induce the expression of environmental change. In basic research, it can be used to monitor the dynamic changes of cell populations, and to advance simple synthetic devices into expertly constructed circuits with important applications.

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ext, we will use the form of an interview to show our communication with them. In order to maintain the smooth flow of the text, we will change some parts of the contents, but will not change the real meaning of the dialogue.

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ur exchange mail as well as the questionnaire can be clicked on feasibility assessment.pdf, project description.pdf & questions.pdf to see.Until the end of the web, our communication is still carrying on. Hope for more details, please pay attention to our posters and presentations.

Reference:
[1] Inniss M C, Silver P A. Building synthetic memory[J]. Current Biology, 2013, 23(17): R812-R816.
[2] Ajo-Franklin C M, Drubin D A, Eskin J A, et al. Rational design of memory in eukaryotic cells[J]. Genes & development, 2007, 21(18): 2271-2276.
[3] Burrill D R, Silver P A. Making cellular memories[J]. Cell, 2010, 140(1): 13-18.
[4] Ham T S, Lee S K, Keasling J D, et al. Design and construction of a double inversion recombination switch for heritable sequential genetic memory[J]. PLoS One, 2008, 3(7): e2815.

Development Thinking

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hen we worked on our project, we thought we were in a highly creative work. We hope that the device we will complete can be used as a part of biological computer——a biological disk. We believe that, besides the field of biological memory, there is still a long way to go in order to achieve biological computer. We will have to pay the great efforts in the biological interface circuit components, biological self-organization and bio logical operations, even if it is just a simple imitation of von Neumann type computer. Therefore, we discuss to make another “virtual interview”. We were divided into several groups, accessing to relevant information about the biological logic element, cell differentiation and cell signaling information group. And communicate with the pioneer scientists in these areas via email, try to understand the progress in these fields and the potential contribution which can be made by the development in order to realize the computer.

Compared with Normal Computers……

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xploring into microorganism’s amazing features, we find two potential improvement that our device may achieve in comparison to traditional computers.

1. Environmental Limitation
Nowadays, electronic components are supposed to work under certain environment. However, biologists have already found that microbial life has an amazing flexibility for surviving in extreme environments — niches that are extraordinarily hot, or acidic and et cetera. Thanks to synthetic biology, we now have the ability to gather wonder features into one cell which indicates that microorganisms are very promising to be strong enough to adapt to extreme conditions.
2. Voltage Limitation
In a traditional computer, 1 & 0 is recognized according to high/ low voltage. But as our hardware reads and transforms fluorescence intensity to digital signals, we are able to divide signals to more subtle degrees such as 0-8. This may be an advantage. (Prepared by SUN Libo and ZHANG Xun)

Wire of Arithmetic Logical Unit……

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he ALU (Arithmetic Logical Unit) of electronic computer is based on logical gates and modern electronic computer utilizes electrical elements to make logical gates come true. On the other hand, the capability of computer is determined by the type of electrical elements. From radio tube to transistor, from discrete component to integrated circuit even microprocessor, every progress of electrical element will make huge developments in computer area. Modern silicon based computer uses binary system and actualizes logical operation through Boolean logic system. The logical gate is the algorithm to realize those operations. Meantime, these logical operation can also be achieved by biological molecules. At the molecular level, proteins will make self-modification when receive different chemical signals and self-modification can be regarded as output signals sometimes. In fact, the human body itself is a powerful super computer and make logical operations all the time. Thus, biological molecules are potential to be the great substitute for electrical elements in creating powerful bio-computer. Nowadays, people have attempted to use many biomaterials to construct basic logical gates such as nucleic acid, enzymes or other small molecules.

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owever, one of the most difficult problems that limit computer development is about logical circuitry micromation. The physical elements of electrical circuitry could not smaller than 0.1 um. If scientists could construct nano-size materials through biological molecules, it is probably to create smaller but more powerful computer in the future.

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owadays some researchers have proved that DNA can replace electrical elements to build the logical gates and realize logical operations, such as INHIBIT logical gate system based on DNase PW17 full of G and SET-RESET logical gate system.

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n summary, molecular computer based on nucleic acid has made large achievements in the past 20 years. Because DNA could probably make nano-size molecular computer come true, bio-computer can have extraordinary parallel calculation ability. Though there still have some problem remaining to be solved, bio-computer will no doubt make the development of computer more hopeful and powful. (Prepared by CHEN Zhiqin and ZHENG Fanjun)

Reference：
[1] Zhou J, Arugula M A, Halamek J, et al. Enzyme-based NAND and NOR logic gates with modular design. J Phys Chem B, 2009, 113:16065–16070
[2] Budyka M F. Molecular photonic logic gates. High Energy Chem, 2010, 44: 121–126
[3] Balzani V, Credi A, Venturi M. Molecular logic circuits. ChemPhysChem, 2003, 4: 49–59
[4] Muller D A, Sorsch T, Moccio S, et al. The electronic structure at the atomic scale of ultrathin gate oxides. Nature, 1999, 399: 758–761
[5] Ezziane Z. DNA computing: Applications and challenges. Nanotechnology, 2006, 17: R27
[6] Li T, Wang E K, Dong S J. Potassium-lead-switched G-quadruplexes: A new class of DNA logic gates. J Am Chem Soc, 2009, 131:
15082–15084
[7] Elbaz J, Wang Z G, Orbach R, et al. pH-Stimulated concurrent mechanical activation of two DNA “Tweezers”. A “Set-Reset” logic gate system. Nano Lett, 2009, 9: 4510–4514

Wire of Biological Computer……

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hen it comes to electronic computers, we need wire, it is not only because it connect every part together, what is more, wire makes up the electronic path making electric current available, it can also provide energy. Then, as for biological computers，what is the role of ‘wire’?

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irstly, biological computers are based on organism, a large number of them make up it，the computers do not need them provide energy obviously, because they can make it by themselves, then, the biological computers` wire must mainly convey information.

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ctually, we have found that cells can communicate with each other, they have their own language, they make chemical words, and they can also recognize these words, turn on group behaviors that are only successful when all of the cells participate in unison, and that is called quorum sensing. So, we think if these chemical words maybe can act as our wire, when the computers are switched on, some cells release some specific protein or something else, and the protein will combine with the receptor in the surface of another group cells, next step then will begin. And things like that. Those specific molecules play very important role, they have different specificity that can only be recognized by next part rather than all of the parts, so that all work will be carried out in order.

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have communicate with one teammate of AHUT iGEM team of 2014.Different with us, their bio navigation system use gene, and they also show interest in our thought. (Prepared by HUO Fan)

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xcept for the solid connection of each part described before, we are glad to put forward another a new concept-Bio Wi-Fi. Since the communication between every single individual usually needs chemicals as medium, building connection with solid or liquid circumstance seems to be certain. But we still want future iGEM teams to accomplish this ‘impossible’ part to make the bio-computer realistic. As we all know, without a wireless communication system, the computer is not integrated.

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nfortunately, we tried to e-mail some expert of the microbiology field but didn’t get any reply. So we asked a professor of our academy for further advice. He was interested in our thoughts but at the same time out forward some problems:
1. Although biological electromagnetic wave has already been found, it is far from steerable.
2. Biological electromagnetic wave is too weak to carry information, how can we strengthen it?
3. How to realize biological electromagnetic in a microbe?

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e are wondering if we could abandon traditional electromagnetic wave as medium of information. Then what can we use, how can we build a machine by living things or cells? These are for you future iGEMers, if you are interested, please contact us and make the bio-computer come true.(Prepared by FANG Yuxing)

Public Engagement

iGEM Campus Selection

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xperienced the first year of the iGEM, our team have a better understand of how to operate iGEM in our school. It is a very important issue that how to arrange our learning arrangements, community activities and iGEM competition together. Based on the above factors, we think it is necessary to keep a primary form of the selection in our school. So we held an iGEM campus selection, the continuation of last year's Campus Workshops.

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he competition was divided into overall program design and three special games (mathematical modeling, biological experiments and web design). All teams must participate in the overall program design, in addition to select from at least one of the three special contest.

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t first, our team orgnized a simulate iGEM teach-in .NJU associate professor and doctoral tutor Chen Xi, the captain of NJU_China Zhou Yu were invited. They were invited to introduce the meaning of synthetic biology and iGEM. From their speech, we learned that competition and problems in the formation of an iGEM team also should be noted.

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n September of this year, our team also made an exchange with the students to share the fun, summed up the need to pay attention to the matter. At the same time, we have introduced our project for this year's competition to them——the Horcrux.

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he competition selected excellent students into the school to participate in NJAU_China team. By participating in an international tournament, making the race organizers have a better understanding, and tryouts for the next campus provide a richer experience. Simultaneously, students selected this competition can provide technical and theoretical support for international events for next year.

A Survey on the Cognition of Synthetic Biology

As an emerging discipline, synthetic biology needs to be in the public eye. We have designed a survey of public awareness in synthetic biology, analyzing the status quo of the public's understanding of synthetic biology.

Survey Report

1. Background

The synthetic biology occurs in China a decade ago. In China, it doesn't have a high popularity. Most people are not very familiar with it, except for some professionals. However, for biological, genetic or other technologies, most people have learn about it in the middle school and high school .Most Chinese people are more familiar with the biological and genetic technology. China has less religious people. The Chinese traditional religion such as Taoism and Buddhism does not object to the creation and transformation of life. So the country is not very opposed to the genetic transformation of life. In China, we have a lot of genetically modified food. In recent years, the media has been constantly reported on the dangers of genetically modified food. As a result, most of the Chinese people began to hold a skeptical attitude to genetically modified food. But there is no obvious opposition to the technology in China.

2. Brief Introduction of the Survey

The main purpose of this survey is to know about the public's understanding and agreement of synthetic biology. The questionnaires has 19 questions in total. We put the questionnaire on a website to collect the answers. (http://www.sojump.com/jq/5554293.aspx).There are 137 questionnaires that were collected. The main object that we investigate are the friend and classmates of our group members. The time of the investigation was from 2015/8/12 to 2015/8/16. The analysis is conducted by Excel and SPSS.

3. The Result of the Survey

(1) Personal information
Your grade

Option	Number
Junior high school and below	5
Senior high school	12
Undergraduate	116
Master	4
Doctor	0
Effective number	137

From the table, we can see that the object of our investigation is mostly undergraduates. Because the most people that we investigated are the friends or classmates of our group members, the undergraduate students that we investigate should be mostly belong to our school (Nanjing Agricultural University). Our school is an agricultural university and biology is one of the strengths of our school. So they should know more about the biological and frontier science.

(2) The situation of the acquaintance of the synthetic biology
Have you ever known about synthetic biology?

Option	Number
Yes	60
NO	77
Effective numbers	137

In our survey, 43.79% of people have learned about synthetic biology, which is not the same as our expectations. It is likely that the result is caused by the object of our investigation. In our survey, there are 30 (21.90%) people whose personal professional is about the biological technology, 24 (17.52%) people whose professional has some relation with the biology, 68(49.27%) people whose personal professional has no relation with the biology, 15 (10.95%) people do not fill in the question. But the 30 people whose professional has some relation with the biology, 16(53.33%) of them have been known about the synthetic biology. This is no much difference with the overall 43.48%.

The course of synthetic biology in our school is few. Most of the professional, including the professional which is about the biological technology, are not exposed to synthetic biology. So the high proportion of synthetic biology in this survey may be related to the propaganda of our school and our team on iGEM.

(3) The acquaintance of the genetic technology
Do you know about genetic engineering?

Option	Number
Yes	135
No	22
Effective numbers	137

About the acquaintance of the genetic technology, as we have said in the background, most of the people have learned the course about it in the middle school and high school. Most people are familiar with the genetic engineering.

(4) The support of the genetic transform
Do you support the transformation of the biological gene?

Option	Number
Yes	65
Not sure	32
No	40
Effective numbers	137

Do you think genetic technology brings more harm than good or more good than harm?

Option	Number
More harm than good	16
More good than harm	73
Not sure	48
Effective numbers	137

Most Chinese do not directly object to the transformation of the gene which can be seen from the table. In fact, almost half of the people are supporting the transformation of the gene, very few people think that the results of gene technology will bring more harm than good. But people still have doubts about the risks of gene technology. See the following table.

How do you think about the risk of gene technology exists?

Option	Number
Very high	42
High	70
Commonly	13
Low	8
Very low	4
Effective numbers	137

Most people believe that there is a high risk in the gene technology. There are 6 people whose professional is about the biotechnology between the people that choice the option, low or very low risk. Thus it can be known that the genetic technology in China is not universal support.

(5) The support of synthetic biology
Do you object to the creation of artificial creatures?

Option	Number
Yes	50
No	50
Not sure	37
Effective numbers	137

There is no clear understanding of the problem, the number of choice "Yes" is equal to the number of the choice “No". Chinese people have a kind of respect for life. But because the creation of life is not entirely respect for life and nature and not entirely persecution of life, the people's attitude of the problem is not obvious. But the Chinese people's respect for life can be seen from the following table.

Do you think that humans have the right to manage arbitrarily the simple creatures that are created by humans?

Option	Number
Yes	24
No	87
Not sure	26
Effective numbers	137

Most people think that humans have no right to manage arbitrarily the simple creatures that are created by humans.

4. Conclusion

First of all, the Chinese people are more familiar with the gene. This is mainly related to the education of Chinese in middle school and high school about biology. However, the synthetic biology is a discipline which has been produced in recent years and its influence in China is not very large. So the public not familiar with synthetic biology. But from the results of our investigation, we can see that the synthesis of biology and iGEM propaganda by our school and our team, to a large extent, improves the degree of popularity of synthetic biology in our school.

Secondly, the public supports the genetic technology. People believe that scientific progress is always good for society. The genetic technology is skeptical, because there are a lot of risks and drawbacks in the public perception. In the questions that I don't list, there is a question (question 18) showing that the public wants the government and scientists to enhance the level of regulation of genetic technology.

People's attitudes toward creating life are not clear, and it may be because that people can’t create a living creature very well with modern technology. There is no clear answer to the question of whether or not creating a living creature is a disrespect for life. However, people are opposed to arbitrary treatment of the life. In Chinese traditional culture, such as Buddhism and Confucianism, maintains a respect for life.

PDF file of the questionnaire, please click

Team:NJAU China/Practices