Created a BioBrick encoding the electron carrier protein cytochrome b562. Validated using a diagnostic digest.
Produced a BioBrick containing the sequences for Sup35-NM and the bipartite csgA signal sequence designed to target the Sec and curli protein export pathways. Once in the extracellular space Sup35-NM will self assemble into amyloid fibres. The part has been validated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Congo Red. This can be used by teams in the future to attach a functional protein domain onto Sup35-NM and form functional amyloid.
Our Envirowire BioBrick has been produced with the bipartite csgA signal sequence, Sup35-NM, and cytochrome b562, forming a fusion protein. We have validated that our fusion protein is exported and forms amyloid fibres using AFM and Congo Red agar plates. Conductivity tests have been carried out and show positive results but this is an area that requires further testing in order to refine fibre production and provide consistent results.
Valencia 2010 iGEM team produced a BioBrick encoding the Sup35 protein from Saccharomyces cerevisiae that contained illegal cut sites in the coding sequence (Part:BBa_K401001). We used sequence optimisation to remove these cut sites, producing a part compatible with the iGEM submission standards.
We have created a new amyloid parts collection for the iGEM repository. It currently includes three amyloid forming parts including, Envirowire, a csgA Sup35-NM containing part, and the improved Sup35p BioBrick from Valencia 2010. (Link: https://2010.igem.org/Team:Valencia)
We have collaborated with UNITN-Trento team to help them with the modelling and provided presentation feedback because they were unable to meet up with other iGEM teams during the summer. We went to two UK meet-ups hosted by Birbeck, and Westminster.
We contacted politicians in England and Italy to ask their opinion on synthetic biology and our project, and whether they thought it would be feasible in their respective areas.
We participated in an open event at our university, where we explained the concept of our project with alumni and members of the public in order to increase awareness of synthetic biology and its potential use to solve various problems.
We created a model which simulates Brownian motion for a self-assembling biological structure