Contribution

• Research and Preparation:
  • Understanding what iGEM is and its mission. We familiarized our iGEM club members with previous iGEM projects to provide an idea of what the competition entails.
  • Identified potential faculty advisors who could guide and support our club.
  • Gathered a group of interested and committed students who are passionate about synthetic biology.
• Recruit Members:
  • Hosted informational meetings and workshops to recruit students who are interested in synthetic biology and iGEM.
  • Recruited individuals with diverse skills, including biology, engineering, computer science, and communication, as iGEM projects typically require a multidisciplinary approach.
• Project Proposal:
  • Brainstormed and developed a project proposal for iGEM. Instructing members that it should be a unique and innovative idea that addresses a specific problem or challenge using synthetic biology techniques.
  • Defined the scope, objectives, and timeline for our project.
• Training and Skill Development:
  • Organized training sessions and workshops for club members to build their skills in molecular biology, genetic engineering, and related techniques.
  • Provided education to members on laboratory safety and ethics.
• Collaboration and Networking:
  • Reached out to other iGEM teams and synthetic biology enthusiasts for collaboration opportunities and advice.
  • Attended iGEM conferences, workshops, and webinars to stay updated on the latest developments in the field.
• Project Execution:
  • Began working on our iGEM project according to the proposed timeline.
  • Documented our progress, experiments, and results meticulously.
• Public Engagement:
  • Shared our project with the local community and university through seminars, workshops, and public presentations.
  • Used social media and our club's website to update others on our progress.

Starting an iGEM Club has been a significant undertaking, but it has been incredibly rewarding both academically and personally. It has provided a platform for students to explore the exciting field of synthetic biology, develop their skills, and contribute to innovative projects with the potential to make a positive impact on society.

New Basic Part

The cholesterol biosensor (BBa_K4896969) is based on a viral genetic element, the cytomegalovirus promoter, that was engineered with human sterol regulatory elements from the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway.

During cholesterol biosynthesis, sterol regulatory element binding protein binds with the cleavage activating protein to form the SREBP-Scap unit. When cholesterol levels are high the SREBP-Scap unit binds to the Insig protein. This allows the unit to remain in the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum. However, when cholesterol levels decrease, the SREBP-Scap unit unbinds from the Insig protein. Interactions with the Sec23 and Sec24 proteins then allow the unit to be transported to the Golgi apparatus by a COPII vesicle. Here the SREBP-Scap unit can interact with the Site 1 protease to perform the first cleavage event. The Site 2 protease then mediates the second cleavage event, leaving the nuclear form of the sterol regulatory element binding protein. This enters the nucleus, where it binds with the pSRE promoter. The pSRE promoter can now activate target genes essential for cholesterol biosynthesis.

This pSRE promoter was used to engineer the CMV promoter to create the cholesterol biosensor essential for our hero’s work.