Orthogonality Results

In Synthetic Biology, two constructions can be considered orthogonal when they only interact at specific and predictable interphases, and do not disturb each other. We have studied this desirable feature of Biobrick parts by combining two constructions in the same cell and comparing this output with the one produced by simple transformations. According to our experiments, that were carried out in two different E. coli strains, Biobrick parts do not behave orthogonal when present in the same cell, being the expression of one of the parts 2 to 3 times higher than the other one. Then, we wanted to go un step further: what is the effect of a simple transformation (a plasmid with a Biobrick part) into the cell architecture? To get some insights about this, we are currently waiting for a proteomic analysis in which the whole proteome of an E. coli strain transformed with a Biobrick part will be compared to that of the non-transformed, control strain.