Abstract

The team set out to provide the synthetic biologists of the future with a range of bioluminescent light outputs in BioBrick format. A number of strategies were used to increase light emission from firefly luciferases. Codon optimisation maximised the rate of translation and a luciferin regenerating enzyme was added to the operon in order to recycle spent oxyluciferin into active D-luciferin. Subsequent site-directed mutagenesis allowed the emission of light in a range of different colours. This system was complemented with an operon based on the Vibrio fischeri lux operon, allowing emission of blue light without the addition of substrate. The team also designed tools to simplify synthetic biology. Gibthon Construct Designer was writted by the team as an online application which designs primers for the assembly of DNA by the Gibson Method. The E.glometer is a hardware tool to measure bioluminescent output based on the low cost Arduino circuit board. The team were placed in the top 6 of the 120 teams at the iGEM Jamboree held at MIT .