Team:UiOslo Norway/Composite Part

UiOslo

The sum is greater than the parts

crtEBI – final composite

This composite part contains the genes crtE, crtB and crtI, combined into a single open reading frame, for the production of lycopene when expressed in Escherichia coli. The genes express geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (CrtE), phytoene synthase (CrtB) and phytoene desaturase (CrtI), respectively. CrtE and CrtB produce the saturated compound phytoene, which is then desaturated by CrtI into the conjugated compound, lycopene. When the part was expressed in E. coli, the pellet of the spun down expression culture acquired a pink color.

crtEB – intermediate composite

Part code: BBa_K2971010

This part contains the sequences of crtE and crtB, connected by a short linker sequence, and represents the intermediate composite of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase and phytoene synthase. The stop codon for each of the two genes has been removed to enable expression in a single open reading frame. The enzymes encoded by the genes supply the precursor of carotenoids when expressed in Escherichia coli.