Integrated HP

Summary of Integrated Human Practices

We made it a point in the beginning of our project to communicate with stakeholders as early and as effectively as possible. Through the use of the Communication Strategies Guide we were better able to communicate with potential stakeholders to find applications for our system. Through these discussions, we discovered new ways we could apply our system to solve different problems as well as new applications which our system could potentially solve. These new applications and alternative uses include an alternate inducer system, sulfite biosensor, biocontainment, as well as biopatterning. We also made it a point to reflect on the communication done between the team and developed an app to help mediate conflict in response.

Team Communication App (Let’s Talk about It!)

When we started our project, many of us had personal as well as interpersonal issues that threatened the viability of our project as well as our own well-being. We made it a point to reflect upon this experience and wondered if any other teams had similar issues to us. We surveyed 67 people from 13 different iGEM teams and developed a team-communication application called Let's Talk about It! as a aid for resolving these issues both for us and future iGEM teams. Most importantly, we have used the app to raise important issues with our PIs and supervisors and have these issues responded to as fast as possible. Knowing that this tool exists has made us more open about our issues and help each other communicate solutions for these issues. This has raised our productivity and made us more cooperative. More information on our Team-communication application can be found here

Alternative Inducer Molecules

Inducer molecules such as IPTG or AHLs are prohibitively expensive considering how essential they are for life science research. Since our system uses a transcription factor (SoxR) that activates in the presence of small redox molecules such as pyocyanin (which is also prohibitively expensive), we realized that using another cheaper redox molecule could not only replace inducer molecules such as IPTG due to their price, but also make our system cheaper to use. Using PMS which is a small redox molecule, we can activate a gene much like IPTG would with plac. Not only is PMS far cheaper than both pyocyanin and IPTG, it is also non-toxic and makes our system more applicable for real world applications. Experimental data can be found here:

Sulfite biosensor

To maintain a reducing plate in an oxidizing atmosphere, we used sulfite, which is a reducing molecule, to ensure that our system does not oxidize in air. Sulfite is also a common ingredient in many preserved foods, such as wine or canned goods, by maintaining reducing environment that is unfavorable for pathogenic growth, unfortunately some people are allergic to sulfite and, especially in wine, can have an adverse effect on taste. However, if we reverse the application of our system, we realized that our construct is an effective way of detecting redox levels, where oxidizing environments cause our bacteria to turn green while reducing environments do the opposite. This may prove helpful for the food industry where a compromise between food preservation and taste needs to be determined. Experimental data can be found here: (CHECK IF WE HAVE DATA, IF NOT SCRAP IT)

Biocontainment

A big socio-ethical issue with using genetically engineered organisms is the issue of biocontainment. We recognized this as an issue by talking to members of the public as well as from the socio-ethics discussion. These organisms should not be released where they could potentially cause ecological damage by outcompeting or harming native species. While some may debate the impact of this ecological damage, it would be easier to persuade governments and its people to use GMOs when proper biocontainment measures are in place. This is especially true for our project. By transcribing growth retardants or toxins, like gp2 and MazF respectively, we can control where our bacteria will live and thus add a layer of biocontainment. Experimental data can be found here:

Fabric Printer

In preparation for our art exhibition, we discussed the integration of science and art with a student from the RCA. She mentioned that in fashion, chemical pollution as a result of the usage of dyes is prominent. We realized that using bacteria to synthesize dyes could provide for an ecologically friendly solution. Moreover, with the ability to pattern using our electrode array, we can design simple prints using MelA which is a step in the right direction for the fashion industry. We have also succeeded in cloning the MelA gene into our construct design. Experimental data can be found here:

Team:Imperial College/IHP