From 2014.igem.org

1 2

Judging Criteria

Gold Medal

We measured more about the characterization of an existing part BBa_K515102(PA2652, malate chemoreceptor).We did capillary assay to detect the response of E.coli to malate and succinate and different concentrations of each attractant and compare the result with our part BBa_K1405004.

We gave The Second High School Attached to Beijing Normal University a lecture, which covered synthetic biology, how to form a high school iGEM team and our program. After classes, they showed eagerness to participate in next year’s high school program and asked us to give more classes after the trip back from Boston. And visiting our lab motivated them to practice and learn more about synthetic biology. We also want to help them to build a senior high iGEM team in future.

Collaborated and supported the iGEM14_Peking.We helped them to standardize a biobrick BBa_K1378001 expressing MlrA, a 28kDa protease found in Sphingomonas sp which can cleavage microcystins(MCs).

Collaboration with iGEM14_Peking : As both of our teams focused on E.coil motility, we helped them with a motile model in which E.coil will diffuse freely to the algae. For more collaborations see our collaborations page.

Human Practice

Bioethics analysis: We did surveys on environment impact using traditional nitrogen fertilizer and molybdenum fertilizer, and estimated the efficiency of our E.coli fertilizer. Integrated with our investigation of peanuts farmers, we evaluated the economic potential of our E.coli fertilizer.

We communicated with Vice Professor Wang from Peking University Health Science Center to discuss Chinese Health Law, for E.coli related to environment health.

Humanities: Collaboration, Conference and Communication

We collaborated with Peanut Research Institute of Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences to have a better recognition of our research subjects peanuts, and Peking University about modeling and experiment. We shared experience at the 1st Central China iGEMers’ Meet Up in Wuhan, and communicated with Ocean University of China and Kyoto University, Japan, which facilitate our projects.

Public Advertising and Education Justice: We promoted iGEM at The Second High School Attached to Beijing Normal University to attract them take part in the competition. Compared with the rural school we visited in Shan Dong, we are amazed at the education gap between city and countryside, so we discussed the education justice in China.

Silver Medal

We have designed, built and experimentally validated two new functional biobricks and submitted characterization data to the parts registry page

BBa_K1405002: encodes a periplasmic binding protein, ModA. And we showed the expression of ModA and its purification by His-chelating chromatography and did the assay by Native-PAGE.

BBa_K1405004: encodes a TCA intermediates responsive chemoreceptor McfR that originally found in Pseudomonas putida. We did the capillary assay to prove its chemotaxis towards malate and succinate.

We have designed, built and submitted three new biobricks:

BBa_K1405002: encodes a periplasmic binding protein, ModA.

BBa_K1405003: encodes INP derivatives containing only N-domain (INPN).

BBa_K1405004: encodes a TCA intermediates responsive chemoreceptor McfR that originally found in Pseudomonas putida.

We have designed, and documented three new biobricks:

BBa_K1405005: Linked INPN with ModA via a linker to let ModA stay located at the outer membrane surface.

BBa_K1405006: encodes INPN linked with YFP.

BBa_K1405008: a kill switch in which mazF is inhibited when reduced by IPTG and expressed without IPTG.

BBa_K1405009: encodes INPNC linked with ModA

Lab safety：In our lab, all members have received safety trainings before working on our project; experiment regulations are rigidly observed.

Environment safety, we have evaluated the project feasibility and its relating security issues. We designed a kill switch to guarantee our “Prometheus” is under control while capturing Molybdenum and delivering it to roots of legumes. The kill switch is supposed to be “off” for a certain time in the soil, so the bacteria will gain enough time to perform its function.

We designed the kill switch, submitted our safety documentation and published general safety information on our wiki safety page.

Bronze Medal

We have registered our team, spent a full summer, and plan to enjoy a feast of knowledge and culture at the Giant Jamboree.

We have set up a team wiki to present our work.

We have completed the judging form.

We made a poster and presentation, which is going to be presented at the Giant Jamboree.

We have designed, built and characterized several new functional standard biobricks including: