iGEM TEAM EPF-LAUSANNE International Genetically Engineered Machine

OUR TEAM & OUR SCHOOL Nicolas Christian Gabriela TuNathalie Carine NicolasRafael HeidiSebastianCarolineMélanie 10 undergraduate students 6 advisors

Specific Aims: 1. To develop strategies to regulate gene expression using light as a stimulus. 2. To use computational tools to optimize the selected strategies. Our approach: To utilize defined molecular systems involved in gene regulation. The activity of the molecules involved should be amenable to regulation by light-induced changes in protein conformation.

Gene Regulation by Modulating Protein Conformational Changes: The LovTAP system Features: - Light-activated - Reversible - Synthetic system

RO#1 RO#2 Gene Regulation by Modulating Protein Conformational Changes: Experimental Design

Experimental Design: iGEM TOOLS

Experimental Design: Cloning Strategy

Results: Read-out n°1 characterization RO#1 without Tryptophan RO#1 with Tryptopan

Results: Entire system (LovTAP + read-out n°2)

Specific Aim 2 : To use computational tools to optimize the selected strategies Desired Features: Increased lifetime of the light-activated protein Enhanced affinity of the binding of the light-activated protein to the DNA The LovTAP system

Experimental Design: Insight from Molecular Dynamics and Biochemical Modeling

Applications Specific and temporal induction of gene transcription in mammalian cells Coupling with gene recombination systems

Sebastian Maerkl : Laboratory of Biological Network Characterization Bart Deplancke : Laboratory of Systems Biology and Genetics Matteo Dal Peraro : Laboratory for Biomolecular Modeling Felix Naef : Computational systems biology Acknowledgements Thank You For Your Attention