iGEM 2017 - Universität Potsdam

With metabolic channeling, the speed of the reaction of a metabolic pathway is raised by putting the enzymes close together. This also takes place in nature, for example in mitochondrial breathing, where big multi-enzyme-complexes are formed. We try to recreate this mechanism in two ways.

In the first approach, we are utilizing the DNA-binding property of the dCas9-protein to put the
enzymes for the synthesis of our marker next to each other on a DNA-scaffold. There are two options to this: First binding the Enzymes directly to the dCas9 or second to use aptamers to connect the enzymes to our scaffold. Unfortunately it has become apparent to us that the beta-carotene synthesis as shown in the video is not feasible and therefore we are using auxin as marker.

The second approach works with liquid-liquid-phase separation. In this process, membraneless
organelles (so called droplets) are formed, induced by specific variable domains of different
proteins. One of these proteins is Ddx4. We want to investigate, whether fusing the enzymes for
the pathway with Ddx4 enables droplet formation in yeast and thereby induces metabolic channeling.

Students are to acquire experience in working in the lab, learn to lead and organize a project and connect internationally. Needless to say, it is also about advancement of synthetic biology and biotechnology.

The project should appeal to students from STEM fields, but to students from other fields as well (e.g. for web design and public relations activities). Furthermore, it is supposed to encourage graduates and postdocs to support the team of students.

For us students iGEM is a one time only chance to plan our own project, implement it, devote ourselves to it and to learn to trust each other. iGEM allows us to experience scientifical processes interdisciplinarily and to connect internationally.

The competition is completely self-financed. Because we cannot do that on our own, we need your help. Mainly we need the money for the entry fees to the Giant Jamboree in Boston where we will present our project, meet up with all the other teams and the jury and where the medals will be awarded. The donations will be also used for:

• reagents
• laboratory materials
• equipment
• travel costs

It needs to get a mention that we have almost gotten 20000€ by sponsors like the University of Potsdam or MaxSynBio, especially for lab material. The biotechnological companies won't pay for travel costs or entry fees. If the payment threshold is reached we will be able to finance our project but every donation overreaching it will help us focusing more manpower on the project itself and less on acquiring additional funding.