Bactissiles: The future of microbial combat

Destabilized ecosystems and disturbed gut floras are both consequences of treatments that lack selectivity. More efficient and precise methods are needed. This year we, the Uppsala iGEM team, tries to widen the view and find new possibilities with engineered bacteria. By developing a system that homes towards a target and secretes an affectant, we can ensure a specific outcome. Such a system could have applications in a number of different fields, though we have chosen to put this into practice in a pinpointing pathogen-killing approach. In our prototype system, introduced in E. coli , we hijack the quorum sensing system of the gut pathogen Yersinia enterocolitica . Our bacteria will be able to sense the presence of the pathogen, accumulate in its vicinity and emit a target-specific bacteriocin, leaving the remaining gut flora intact. The era of mass destruction is over. Welcome the missile bacteria, the Bactissile! .

Assembly Plan

Hampus Elofsson

When/Why did your interest in bioengineering start?
-I have always been interested in how nature and biology works.

Does your primary interest lie in engineering or in biology/biotechnology?
-Both

Why did you choose to participate in iGEM?
-I participated last year and had lots of fun. I wanted to use my experience from the previous year and try out the competition once more.

Karl Holdar

When/Why did your interest in bioengineering start?
-When I watched a documentary on the potential of biotechnology in the future.

Does your primary interest lie in engineering or in biology/biotechnology?
-Both

Why did you choose to participate in iGEM?
-Because I thought it would be a good experience and lots of fun.