Team:LMU-Munich

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<h1>contact us</h1>
<h1>contact us</h1>
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<a  href="http://www.lmu.de" target="_blank">
<a  href="http://www.lmu.de" target="_blank">
<img src="https://preview.c9.io/loxos/igemlmu/img/lmu-logo-2.png" />
<img src="https://preview.c9.io/loxos/igemlmu/img/lmu-logo-2.png" />

Revision as of 13:18, 19 September 2014

»BaKillus«

Engineering a pathogen-hunting microbe


Increasing bacterial resistance to classical antibiotics remains a serious threat and urges the development of novel pathogen-killing strategies. Exploiting bacterial communication mechanisms such as quorum sensing is a promising strategy to specifically target certain pathogens. The major aim of this project is the introduction of a genetic circuit enabling Bacillus subtilis to actively detect, attach to, and eventually kill Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Initially, we will introduce the autoinducer-sensing two-component systems of S. aureus and S. pneumoniae into B. subtilis. to create a pathogen-detecting strain. By utilizing quorum sensing-dependent promoters, we will then trigger pathogen-killing strategies like the production of antimicrobial peptides or biofilm degradation. As a safety measure a delayed suicide-switch guarantees non-persistence of genetically modified B. subtilis in the absence of pathogens. We envision the use of BaKillus as a smart, cheap and simple-to-use medical device for diagnostics and targeted treatment of multiresistant superbugs.