Future Directions

With limited facilities such as in availability of high speed microcentrifuge, UV and fluorescence spectrophotometers, incubators with shakers, we were able to adapt several standard protocols – written in Notebook section – to achieve certains goals in synthetic biology. We have been able to construct 2 new parts namely, crr gene encoding IIA(Glc) from E. coli alone (BBa_K1508002), and crr gene with double terminator (BBa_K1508003), which we have been deposited in iGEM Registry. Both plasmids have been sequenced for confirmation.

In term of our projects goal on measuring honey glucose concentration, we already succeeded in developing protocols of measurements using (1) glucose meter, and (2) mRFP reporter gene expression based on the phenomenon of catabolite repression. The second protocol – called ECONEY – was a combination of innovative color intensity measurement with mobile phone, programming has advantage of easy use, and attractive appearance. Both protocols are very affordable for honey farmers in Sumbawa Island who still out of access for conventional method such as glucose refractometer. Therefore, our human practice has big success in introducing the power of synthetic biology to our people who were never exposed to knowledge in biotechnology although already used several products such as glucose meter and recombinant insulin which are available in drug stores.

In the future, we will use these experiences to continue constructing BBa_J04450 + our original constructs (containing either crr or cyaA) and see whether they will really influence the catabolite repression sensitivity, resulted in shifted linear range of measureable region of glucose concentration. If this has been achieved, we can replace mRFP with amilCP (blue color), then we will able to get different color of medium when different honey added to the medium. This system can be used to easily and interestingly shown whether the honey is original Sumbawa or from other sources because they have different concentration of glucose

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