21/08/18

1/9M (RFP) was transformed from the iGEM kit according to the protocol. The coding sequence of the custom receptor, and copper promoter flanked by biobrick sites were ordered from IDT and used directly.

22/08/18

Transformation was successful and a colony was picked and inoculated in chloramphenicol.

23/08/18

Miniprep was performed according to the protocol.
Cu-promotor → 250 ng/μl
Custom receptor → 360 ng/μl
RFP → 91.7 ng/μl

Cu-promoter and RFP were placed in pSB1K3, custom receptor was placed in pSB1K3 as well. Cu-promoter DNA was digested with EcoRI and SpeI, RFP DNA was digested with XbaI and PstI. The custom receptor and the target-vector were digested with EcoRI and PstI.

For each of the three samples a mastermix was made. For each digestion the DNA concentration was reduced to 25 ng/ul. 4 ul of DNA sample and target vector sample were transferred to a PCR tube with 4 ul of the according restriction mix. The samples were incubated for 1 hour at 37 C. After 1 hour the samples were taken out of the incubator and enzymes were heat deactivated at 80C for 20 min. 1ul of target vector (pSB1K3), 2 ul of Cu-promotor restricted DNA, and 2 ul restricted RFP DNA were added to one PCR tube. Furthermore 1ul DNA T4 ligase buffer and 0.5 ul of T4 ligase were added. The total volume was made up to 10 ul with 3.5 ul dH2O. The samples were incubated for one hour (RT). Enzymes were deactivated with heat kill 80C 20 min.

DNA was transformed in DH5a according to the iGEM protocol.

24/08/18

Transformation was successful 8 colonies were picked to perform colony PCR according to the protocol. (Cu-promotor::RFP 100%, Cu-promotor::RFP 500%, Custom receptor 100%, Custom Receptor 500%).

Note: The date on the plates is date of preparation not transformation

27/08/18

Samples from colony PCR (18/08/24) were analysed with a 0.8% Agar gel electrophoresis.
Custom receptor = 1926 bp
Cu-promoter::RFP = 1238 bp

28/08/18

The results obtained in the gel electrophoresis DNA analysis (27/8/18) was not satisfactory. Therefore four new colonies were picked for colony PCR in accordance with the protocol.

The PCR samples were analysed with gel elektrophorese using 0.8% agarose gel.
Custom receptor = 1926 bp
Cu-promoter::RFP = 1238 bp

Samples 4, 9, 12, 13, 14 were selected and inoculated in 5 ml LB containing kanamycin overnight. A safe of these samples was made as well.

As the Cu::RFP sample did not yield the desired results, new cloning procedure was initiated using the iGEM protocol and buffer 2.1 instead of enzyme specific buffers. In order to ensure that we would have enough genetic material, we cloned the gBlock `copper-promoter blunt into the vector pBSK.

29/08/18

The DNA of the (28/08/18) samples was purified according to the miniprep protocol.

The prior prepared clonation (28/08/18) was transformed in DH5α according to the iGEM protocol.

Safe made from samples Samples 4, 9, 12, 13, 14 (18/08/28)

30/08/18

No colonies of the transformation(29/8/18) were observed.

The purified DNA of samples 4,12,14 (29/8/18) were send for sequencing with forward and reverse primer.

05/09/18

Samples from sequencing were analysed. Custom receptor (12) was placed in the pSB1K3 backbone correctly. The sequence of Cu-promoter::RFP was difficult to interpret. Therefore Cu-promoter::RFP (4) was incubated again in 5 ml LB + Kanamycin from the safe overnight.

06/09/18

The Cu::RFP DNA was purified according to the miniprep protocol with 5 ml bacteria instead of 1.5 ml and eluted in 20 µl elution buffer. DNA was sent for sequencing.

10/09/18

The sequence of Cu::RFP did not contain the copper promotor, only RFP.

11/09/18

The RFP DNA was cloned into the Copper-promoter vector by cutting the copper-promoter vector with SpeI and PstI, and the RFP vector with XbaI and PstI overnight at 37 °C.

12/09/18

The prior cut samples were ligated. 2.4 µl RFP DNA was used as insert with 1 µl of Cu promotor backbone. After heat inactivation the sample was transformed according to the iGEM protocol in DH5α and plated on Ampicillin plates.

13/09/18

Transformation was successful. However, close examination of the samples under the fluorescence binoculars revealed that none of the colonies expressed RFP.

2 colonies were picked and inoculated in 5 ml LB + ampicillin.

22/09/18

Since our previous attempts didn’t yield any results we decided to place the copper promoter gBlock was cut with the restriction enzymes EcoRI and SpeI. Simultaneously, the RFP vector (PSB1C3) was cut with EcoRI and XbaI. Both reactions were done overnight in NEB Buffer 2.1.

23/09/18

The digestion product from 18/09/22 was ligated according to the iGEM ligation protocol. 2 µl of ligation product was transformed to E. coli DH5α. .

24/09/18

The reaction mix was inactivated by heating it to 80 degrees for 20 minutes. A ligation was set up with the fragments, and 9 µl of the ligation product was transformed to 100 µl of competent DH5α.

25/09/18

The transformation was successful. 6 colonies could be spotted. These were inoculated overnight in 5 ml LB with chloramphenicol.

26/09/18

The DNA of the inoculated cultures was minipreped according to the miniprep protocol. After the first spin down we noticed that the bacterial pellet of one of the colonie number 6 was slightly red. Because it is known that RFP expressing bacteria turn red even without excitation, we concluded that it was most likely that this colony expressed RFP, and thus that the transformation worked. After the isolation of the DNA, a colony PCR was done with the VF and VR primer. The total size of the band that we expected was 824 + 156 -6 = 974 bp for the fragment + 271 bp for the part outside the BB_sites generated by the VF and VR primer. The total size of the fragment should thus be 1245 bp. The fragment in lane 6 lies between the 1000 bp band and the 1500 bp band and starts slightly lower than the middle, indicating that it is most likely a band of correct size.

The DNA of this colony was send for sequencing.

29/09/18

The sequencing results showed that the construct was correct. Since both the promoter::RFP fusion, and the Custom receptor were now available to us on plasmid backbones with different resistance genes, both constructs were transformed to E. coli Dh5a.

30/09/18

The transformation was successful. A stock solution of 50 mM CuSO₄ was made for experiments with the newly transformed copper sensitive bacteria. 2 colonies were inoculated overnight for further experiments.

01/10/18

100 µl of the overnight cultures from 18/09/30 was transferred to two tubes containing 5 ml of clean LB. One tube contained 500 µM CuSO₄. Both tubes were inoculated for 45 minutes at 37 degrees. 400 µl of this culture was washed in 1 ml of PBS and RFP expression was measured with an emission scan between 570 and 640 nm in a Carry Eclipse Fluorescence Photospectrometer using 400 µl of the copper bacterium containing PBS solution. The excitation wavelength used was 555 nm. No fluorescence could be measured, which was probably due to the low amount of bacteria.

02/10/18

A new overnight inoculation of the double transformed bacteria was made.

03/10/18

The experiment of 18/10/01 was repeated, but this time CuSO₄ was added to the inoculation at a final concentration of 500 µM, 250 µM, 50 µM, and 5 µM, or 0 µM. The Bacteria were inoculated for 2 hrs at 37°C.

12/10/18

The following bacteria (DH5α) were inoculated in 5 ml minimal medium, and 5 ml LB with matching antibiotic.

Cu-promotor::RFP // Custom receptor → Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol
Cu-promotor::RFP → Chloramphenicol

13/10/18

Bacteria in minimal medium did not grow. Cu-promoter::RFP // Custom receptor samples were red coloured while bacteria not containing the custom receptor were yellowish. Fluorescence images were taken to confirm RFP expression. The bacteria containing the Cu-promoter::RFP // Custom receptor were washed 1x in M9 and incubated again overnight in M9 containing 0.4% glucose.

In order to confirm aspartic acid induced RFP expression the experiment was repeated. The following bacteria (DH5α) were inoculated in 5 ml M9 + 0.4% glucose, and in 5 ml LB with matching antibiotic.

Cu-promotor::RFP // Custom receptor → Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol
Cu-promotor::RFP → Chloramphenicol

Cu-promoter :: RFP Normarski

Cu-promoter :: RFP Nomarski Fluorescence

Cu-promoter :: RFP // Custom receptor

Cu-promoter::RFP // Custom receptor fluorescence (falsely coloured)

14/10/18

Bacteria in M9 did not grow. Bacteria in LB did grow but did not express GFP observed with the naked eye. 4 ml bacteria of each of the two samples was washed with 1x with M9 and incubated with M9 + 0.4% glucose.

After 4 hours of incubation in M9 + 0.4% glucose the samples were split up in the following fractions. After 4 hours 500 μl was used for fluorescence measurements using the prior described fluorescence photospectrometer (ex. 585 nm). After 7 hours the remaining 500 μl was used for measurements.

Sample 1 is not representative at 8 hours since the remaining volume of bacteria was less than the volume in the cuvette. Therefore this sample was diluted which resulted in a increased intensity as the cuvette was now fully filled, however, the measurement did not reach its full potential.

The Cu-promoter::RFP // Custom receptor sample washed (18/10/13) and incubated overnight was split up in two 4 ml fractions. To one fraction 40 μl 50 mM Aspartic acid was added and incubated for 4 hours. After 4 hours 500 μl was used for fluorescence measurements, this was repeated at 8 and 11 hours

Although these data are not conclusive it indicates that the custom receptor has a reaction on the addition of aspartate. Therefore new samples were inoculated in 5 ml LB.

30/07/18

Isolated biobricks (listed in Table 1) and transformed them to E. coli Dh5ɑ according to the transformation protocol.

* location name is as follows: plate number/well number (e.g. 1/5A means plate 1 well 5A)
** this part contains two copies of BBa_B0010 (64 bp each) but the exact size of the fragment is unspecified on the wiki page.

31/07/18

Checked for colonies of the transformations from 30/07/18. Single colonies were picked from each plate and inoculated according to the inoculation protocol.

01/08/18 (morning)

Isolated the plasmids containing the biobricks from the inoculated colonies from 31/07/18 according to the plasmid purification protocol. (for concentrations see Table 2)

01/08/18 (afternoon)

Performed a PCR, as described in the PCR protocol, to amplify the parts CheY, CheZ, Rluc, eYFP so that they can be used for Gibson assembly later in the project. The primers used are listed in Table 3.

02/08/18 (morning)

Performed a gel electrophoresis on the PCR product from 01/08/18 on a 1.5% agarose gel according to the gel electrophoresis protocol (Figure 1). And purified the bands from gel as described in the gel purification protocol.

Since the PCR of CheY didn’t succeeded and the concentration of eYFP was very low, we decided to do these PCRs again.

02/08/18 (afternoon)

Performed a PCR, as described in the PCR protocol, to amplify the parts CheY, eYFP, LuxA, and LuxB using the primers listed in Table 5.

03/08/18

Figured out that the LuxA and LuxB fragments would contain a double m13 forward site and a double T3 site if PCR product was used. Decided to PCR LUXA and LuxB from gBlock. Ran the PCR product on gel (figure 3) and extracted the correct bands.

06/08/18

Performed gibson assembly according to the gibson assembly protocol on the DNA pairs as listed in table 6. “wrong” LuxA and LuxB, the “correct” LuxA and LuxB, and CheZ and Rluc. Transformed 9 µl of each Gibson product to 100 µl of DH5ɑ in order to increase the amount of successful colonies.

07/08/18

Performed a colony PCR on each plate from 06/08/18. Picked 2 colonies from each plate. Inoculated bacteria containing inserts of the correct size.

08/08/18

Isolated DNA from inoculations from 07/08/18 and sended them for sequencing.

09/08/18

10/08/18

Ran PCR product from 09/08/18 on gel and isolated the DNA using the Gel purification protocol

15/08/18

Performed a gibson reaction to assemble eYFP-CheY and transformed the product to DH5-alpha.

16/08/18

Performed a colony PCR on colonies of 15/08/18 for eYFP-CheY, and additional CheZ-Rluc from 07/08/18 since the sequencing results of 08/08/18 showed a deletion in the BB_SF site. Made a plate containing the positive colonies and inoculated them overnight.

17/08/18

20/08/18

Send the isolated eYFP-CheZ DNA from 17/08/18 for sequencing using the M13FW and M13Rev primer.

27/08/18