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Team:LMU-Munich
From 2014.igem.org
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[[ Team:LMU-Munich/Doge | Doge]] | [[ Team:LMU-Munich/Doge | Doge]] | ||
| - | 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 </i>Bacillus subtilis</i> to actively detect, attach to, and eventually kill | + | 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 </i>Bacillus subtilis</i> 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 </i>S. pneumoniae</i> into <i>B. subtilis</i>. 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 </i>B. subtilis</i> 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. |
Revision as of 12:48, 30 August 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 </i>Bacillus subtilis</i> 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 </i>S. pneumoniae</i> 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 </i>B. subtilis</i> 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.
