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PENN iGEM 2015

SENDER

An effective light-based communication system rests on the bioluminesence generated by the “sender cell.” In order to design a well-functioning system, the Penn 2015 iGEM team worked to optimize the light output of various E.coli “sender cells” transformed with the lux operon (BBa_K325909).

Lux operon expression is responsible for bioluminescence. The operon is initiated by a constitutive promoter (BBa_J23100) followed by an RBS + lux box. The box contains the following: LuxC, D, A, B, E and G. LuxA and B encode two subunits of bacterial luciferase. The genes LuxC, D, and E drive expression of the substrate for the light-emitting reaction, tetradecanal. The function of the luxG gene is yet to be fully elucidated; however, inclusion of the gene is known to increase light output (CITATION). The circuit is completed with a stop codon and a terminator sequence.