Team:Groningen/Template/MODULE/projects/parts/detection

We want Lactococcus lactis to start producing growth inhibiting molecules only when a pathogen is present. Therefore, L. lactis must be able to sense Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.

To give Lactococcus lactis the ability to detect P. aeruginosa we assembled a new BioBrick. We adopted a widely used principle for detection, namely detection of quorum molecules. P. aeruginosa produces AHLs for communication¹, therefore we have built an AHL sensor) that can be used by L. lactis.

To test the how well Lactococcus lactis can detect P. aeruginosa we build a construct which has the AHL sensor ability coupled with a GFP gene.

A related part that was made is the AHL generator. Many iGEM teams are working with AHL sensing, either to detect P. aeruginosa or for an regulatory mechanisms. Our AHL generator produces AHLs, which enables other teams to produce AHLs and test their sensors without the hassle of working with the pathogenic bacterium itself.