Team:Peking/TeamCom

Goals

Since firstly taking part in iGEM in 2007, Peking iGEM has the tradition communicating with other teams in China. This activity strengthens Peking iGEM Team’ understanding of synthetic biology as well as this competition, deepens friendship with other teams, widens views towards the advanced fields of model biology.

During this summer, Peking iGEM 2014 kept this tradition for the following purposes:

a. communicating experiments and modelling with other teams.

b. Investigating how synthetic biology as well as iGEM Competition spread in China.

c. Spreading the knowledge of algal bloom and promoting our project.

Trip

In later August, Peking iGEM 2014 visited several universities in China and paricipated in the First Central China iGEMers’ Meet Up.(Fig.1) And some universities went to us with their ideas and questions. During the trip, we visited SJTU, ZJU, and USTC. To these teams, we introduced our project “Ranger amongst Enemies”, especially introduced the modelling part.

Zhejiang University

19th, August, we arrived at ZJU (Zhejiang University). On the meeting, biosafety was the main topic. ZJU was doing experiments on E.coli genome, so they were seeking a comprehensive plan preventing leakage of modified gene. While we used an algae toxin Microcystin(MC) in our experiments, biosafety is a serious concern to us. Instrutor of ZJU iGEM was invited to join their discussion.(Fig.2)

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Next day, our team leaved for SJTU(Shanghai Jiao Tong University) in Shanghai. During this visit, undergraduates and instructors from Bio-X Center, just like our iGEM Club, introduced their project and iGEM Club. We made the consensus that it is probably better treating biology subject as a whole rather than divided it into many isolated topics. In feedback, a member from SJTU also joined our group discussion afterwards.Fig.3

University of Science and Technology of China

USTC(University of Science and Techology of China) was the next school we visited. (Fig.4) 21st, August, we arrived at USTC in Hefei, Anhui Province. USTC Software provided us with their experiences of building biology softwares. And the possibility of establishing Peking Software iGEM Team was discussed.

The First Central China iGEMers’ Meet Up

Later, we participated in the First Central China iGEMers’ Meet Up in Wuhan with other ten teams. Former iGEMer of Peking iGEM ZHANG Haoqian also showed up as a speaker and made a lecture. On this meet up, iGEMers summarized developing procedure of China iGEM teams. More than the presentations of each teams’ project, the future of synthetic biology in China was discussed actively.

Helping Other Teams

What’s more, we provided BIT some experiment equipment in assistance of their projects and gave constructive suggestions on modeling to Beijing Normal University. Beijing Normal University firstly joined in iGEM competition, and they made a visit to us in later Sepetmber. We held a discussion and binding experiments, as an important improvement in our project, caught much attention. (Fig.5、6)

Cross membrane protein INP was used as the scaffold of surface display system in two teams’ experiments. We compared displaying efficiency between INP and its variants including INPN, INPC. Peking iGEM 2014 helped them standardizing a BioBrick BBa_K1405002. As for microbes motility is another shared point in our projects, how to establish a proper model became the same concern.WANG Chenggong introduced Peking’s models, from the insight to the methods, and analysis results. Binding model was explained in detail. Later, they discussed Beijing Normal University’s project and WANG Chenggong gave some suggestions on constructing a dynamic model of E.coli and peanut root system, which quantitatively simulates the process of engineered organism moving.

Team communication is an undeletable part of human practice. Tens of Meet Ups were held before the Giant Jamboree around the world. By communicating, teams exchange their ideas and problems.

For instance, Peking iGEM and OUC-China had pleasant communication experience in the past years. This time, we both used holin/endolysin system as an induction suicide system, we discussed experiment protocols and results for weeks. Peking iGEM later provided these two genes with their primers to OUC-China due to the difference between the genes we used. Also, OUC-China sent their gas vesicle plasmids to us and did a confirming test.

Some fresh iGEM teams received Peking’s assistance included advice on modeling, providing experiments equipment, and constructing a standardized BioBrick (BBa_K1405002).

It is 7 years after iGEM Competition was introduced to China. More and more universities even high schools established their iGEM teams. Synthetic biology as a novel tool has been improving our life, many ideas from iGEMers came into application. It is undeniable that team communication did a lot for this. China iGEM teams have been working together to promoting synthetic biology and iGEM Competition. Education based on research impelled passion from young undergraduates, some of them would surely become specialist in some areas. Peking iGEM believes that team communication is a key assay enhancing synthetic biology development.