Team:SZU-China/Collaborations
Collaboration
This year, OUC-China had a plan called Ideal Laboratory; they came and visited our lab during the summer vacation. We shared ideas of Ideal Laboratory, and they recorded the layout of our lab during the meeting. OUC-China provided us with the Chinese and English versions of the E.coli SPACESHIP comic book series, which we can use in our scientific popularization of iGEM and synthetic part to the public. We collected some of the participants’feedback and suggestions, then provided them to Team OUC-China.
Fig.1 The E.coli SPACESHIP Comic Book Series
Fig.2 We Were Delivering the E.coli SPACESHIP Comic Book Series
The UESTC-China team's project this year is to design E.coli that secretes proteins that degrade expired drugs. This year, we encountered many difficulties in detecting the suicide mechanism of the virus-driven by the T7 promoter. For example, the expression of endogenous proteolytic enzymes in E.coli could hydrolyze the protein after the expression of the toxic protein, resulting in a low protein expression.
Therefore, UESTC-China suggested that we use the DE3-modified BL21 strain to reduce protein hydrolysis loss and increase the induction concentration of IPTG. Another possible reason is that IPTG is a potent inducer, which makes it easy for the protein to fold correctly because of its rapid expression, resulting in inclusion bodies, which reduces the activity of the protein. UESTC-China suggests that we try to induce expression at 16 or 30 degrees Celsius, prolong the expression time, and reduce the production of inclusion bodies.
After listening to the idea of antibiotics in the UESTC-China degradation wastewater, we suggested that they visit the waterworks and sewage treatment plants to learn about the proper sewage treatment, and comprehensively evaluate the idea of antibiotics in the degrading water. Finally, they decided to abandon the idea of antibiotic degradation in the water and make an expired drug recycling bin.
Fig.3 The Photo of Communicating with UESTC-China
It is the first time that SZPT-CHINA has participated in the iGEM competition. They still have a lot of doubts and puzzles about this competition, and they do not understand the requirements of some medals very well. They contacted us through the teachers of the college and wanted to initiate cooperation between the old team and the new team. During the summer vacation, we talked about project matters. Also, they asked some stuff about iGEM competition, for instance, the rules of the competition, human practices, schedule, and wiki editing, etc. We gave them advice on how to better carry out human practices, and at the same time, they planned to give lectures on the iGEM competition for 366 first-year students. We helped them complete the lecture so that more first-year students had a vision for iGEM. This year, our team developed an applet that needs to be tested in different areas. They helped us to complete the proper testing of the applet and put forward some suggestions for optimizing the interface of the applet.
Fig.4 The Photo of SZU-China and SZPT-CHINA
Fig.5 We Were Introducing the iGEM Competition
Jiangnan-China team has developed the biosurfactant consistent with the modern concept of the development of green chemistry and used in a wide range of applications，such as biological control. SZU-China team this year aims to develop an RNAi-based herbicide to control M. micrantha, which needs some non-toxic surfactant to help the herbicide better scatter on the leaves. Therefore, the Jiangnan-China team mailed their surfactant to us, and the SZU-China team helped them test the efficiency and safety of it. The result showed that the surfactant was quite safe to the plants, but the promotion effect on the herbicide was not significant. (click here to see more)
Click here to see Shenzhen_SFLS
SYSU-CHINA Shenzhen-SFLS and SZU-China had a chance to hold a lecture in Shenzhen Foreign Language School. Before the beginning of this lecture, we conducted an online questionnaire survey. The main problems include (1) necessary personal information (2) understanding of iGEM competition (3) attitudes towards synthetic biology (4) understanding of the specialized components involved in three-team projects.
We received 66 questionnaires in this survey. We counted the answers to each question and got the general knowledge level of the students who participated in the lecture. According to their level of knowledge and direction of interest, we formulated the content of the lecture. In order to communicate better, we launched the salon activity after the lecture. At the salon, students asked interesting questions about each team project. Many students are interested in iGEM competition.
What is more surprising is that some students have proposed to help us collect the coordinate points of Mikania micrantha with small programs. They are very willing to work with us to complete the mapping of M. micrantha invasion site.
Fig.6 We Were Introducing the iGEM Competition
We released a request on the official website of iGEM to Photograph and located Mikania micrantha with our program. After seeing it, ECUST contacted us and told us that they had been seen the plant in Shanghai. After discussion, in October this year, ECUST and SZU-China organized the " Mikania micrantha photography competition" to let more people join us to clean up Mikania micrantha.
After the activity, the iGEM team of East China University of technology provided us with many photos of Mikania micrantha and useful positioning. We analyzed these data and found that there are many Mikania micrantha in Shanghai, and even in cities like Sichuan in the interior. Through this activity, ECUST provided us with much useful information, and let us know that the spread of Mikania micrantha has been pervasive. Furthermore, making it more urgent to remove Mikania micrantha.
Fig.8 The Poster of Mikania micrantha Photography Competition
This year, we keep in close contact with WHU-China. In June, They visited Shenzhen and had a meet-up with us on our campus. We shared projects of each other and opinions on iGEM team building. Considering the high temperature in June, we also prepared a refreshing lemon tea for the iGEMers of Wuhan University. In August, WHU-China came to Shenzhen again to participate in the CCiC. We are delighted to talk with them about the progress in the past two months, and they also provide many suggestions for our project, so that we can improve the specific problems. The members of WHU-China are amicable. We have become terrific friends. This friendship is also one of the most impressive things we have experienced in iGEM this year.
Fig.9 The Photo of WHU-China and SZU-China
This year, SZU-China and Shenzhen-SFLS carried out a cooperation activity. For some reason, Shenzhen-SFLS was in the condition of lacking the support of the laboratory. After the contact and consultation between the instructor and the college, our school has loaned a laboratory as a temporary Laboratory of Shenzhen-SFLS in its college laboratory building since the summer vacation of 2019. The Shenzhen-SFLS can use its supporting necessary experimental instruments. It is the borrowing of the laboratory that provides an opportunity for cooperation between the two teams.
Because it was the first time that Shenzhen-SFLS entered the University Biology Laboratory. On the one hand, they lacked sufficient understanding of some biological theories, on the other hand, they did not understand the use of necessary experimental instruments. What is more, they lacked experience in the experimental arrangement. These deficiencies will not only slow down the experimental process of Shenzhen-SFLS, but also increase the security risks in the experimental process. In order to improve the experimental efficiency and laboratory safety. Shenzhen-SFLS proposed to SZU-China the cooperation needs in the form of partial experimental operation guidance and experimental question consultation. At the same time, the applet called GREEN Hunter independently developed by SZU-China is in the stage of urgent publicity and promotion after successful development. Taking this opportunity to cooperate with Shenzhen-SFLS, first of all, carry out an applet with Shenzhen-SFLS.“ Internal test and debugging ", to find the problems of the applet, and repair them in time. More people can use the applet to improve the distribution map of Mikania micrantha invasion further in Shenzhen, and deepen the understanding of Mikania micrantha invasion in the disaster area.
With the help of Shenzhen-SFLS, we are able to radiate the applet GREEN Hunter to different and more diverse groups (high school students, parents with specific resources accumulation in society and other different groups) from college students, further improve the map of Mikania micrantha in Shenzhen and, to a certain extent, make the society bigger. We are helping the public recognize that Mikania micrantha is not a harmless and beautiful ornamental plant, but an invasive plant with severe damage to the local ecology.
With the help of members of SZU-China, team Shenzhen-SFLS quickly get familiar with the use of fundamental instruments in the biology laboratory. Furthermore, they can complete various biological experiment steps smoothly and skillfully.
Fig.10 Team Shenzhen_SFLS was doing Experiment in Our Laboratory
This year SZU-China started a collaboration with GreatBay_SZ. GreatBay_SZ group’s project is called the SPIDERMAN, aiming to manufacture recombinant spider silk with E.coli and color the silk for application in the cloth industry. In this way, they can avoid the problems caused by the spider's essential behavior.
After a tough experimental time and much tries, the GreatBay_SZ finally made a great program on their target which they are likely successful in producing manufacture recombinant spider silk by biological fermentation. For further confirmation, they need to make a detailed observation of their samples under the Fluorescent inverted microscope, but they do not have the instrument to finish the last step.
Fortunately, because of an unexpected opportunity, both of us had a conversation about each project in detail on a project exchange activity. Furthermore, we do have a Fluorescent inverted microscope in our laboratory. Hence, it is the best time for the SZU-China to start a collaboration with the GreatBay_SZ. Through this collaboration, GreatBay_SZ successfully photographed the manufacture recombinant spider silk in their samples under the Fluorescent inverted microscope and measured the diameter of the silk and other essential data which will be one of the substantial evidence prove their success the manufacturing recombinant spider silk with E.coli.
Fig.11 The photos of Spider silk took under the Fluorescent inverted microscope
