Team:TecMonterrey GDL/Constructs

Construct Design

Composite part Plan A:

This construct is optimized for E.coli BL21, it constitutes our “Plan A” for our psychobiotic, which consists of producing the soluble form gp130 attached to novel signal peptides, which will allow the secretion of the sgp130 to the extracellular media. In order for our construct to work the IL-6 will bind to its receptor also known as gp80, these dimer will then bind to the produced soluble sgp130 which will form a highly stable trimer that sequesters IL-6, effectively inhibiting IL-6 trans-signaling, the inflammatory signalization.

Both the IL-6 and the soluble form of the IL-6 receptor are present in the human body specifically in the gut, where our construct will work. In general, soluble receptors for several cytokines have been detected in different body fluids, these are believed to help modulate cytokine response by binding the ligand and thereby reducing its bioavailability. Since the of soluble gp130 can act as an antagonist vs the cells with membrane-bound receptor (IL-6R) [1] , the Plan A strategy was developed as a first approach towards developing our psychobiotic.