Team:SHSBNU China/Prospect

• Acknowledgement
• Team
  Team Members Our School Collaborations Attributions
• Judging
  Judging Achievements
• Model
  Modeling Software
• Safety
• Human Practices
  Intergrated Human Practices Public Engagement
• Parts
  Overview Basic parts Composite Part Collection Improve
• Lab
  Experiments Notebook Protocols
• Project
  Inspiration Description Design Results Hardware Demonstrate Prospect

Prospect

In our project design, we used the ThsS/R system to connect the DNA modification module to enable E. coli to record analog signals of the small molecule thiosulfate, which is the marker of intestinal inflammation, for later quantitative analysis. However, DNA is like an information-recording tape. Each tape has a limited capacity. If the information recorded on a tape is saturated, then a new tape needs to be replaced.

Like changing tapes, here we came up with a design that can record multi-level signals. As a result, the whole PROBE system can not only record more analog signals (for example, higher molecular concentrations, longer duration of action), but also give a hierarchical reporting signal based on the amount of information. For example, when PROBE detects a signal, for example, a small chemical molecule or body temperature, and if the signal is strong, the system will write information into the second tape when the first tape is filled with information.
With the introduction of different reporter genes, we can design PROBE with graded alarm function. When the disease is mild, the bacteria express GFP. When the disease is more serious, bacteria not only express GFP, but also express RFP —— to rise a red alert.

Figure 1.Prospect of multi-stage PROBE that is capable of recording signal across different magnitude of strength.

Behind the realization of this idea is a complex set of genetic circuits. The key is high-efficient DNA writting modules and sharp-switch behavior of the regulator when “changing tapes”. This design may be a possible direction for future extension of our project.