Team:UCopenhagen
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Incell: a platform for synthetic endosymbiosis
Incell is a new synthetic biology platform with near future applications in research, industry and services. We are rewriting nature’s code for endosymbiosis and transforming an evolutionary phenomenon into a technology compatible with standard biological parts.
Our vision is to produce synthetic host–endosymbiont systems. We set out with a trinity of experiments intrinsic to the synthetic reconstruction of endosymbiosis. First, creating and sustaining dependence between a host and its endosymbionts by fulfilling the amino acid requirement of an auxotrophic host. Next, to build a modular system of cell-penetrating peptides for protein transport of host nuclear encoded proteins into an endosymbiont, recapitulating a crucial feature of the natural process. Finally, regulating the number of endosymbionts within a host using a CRISPR-Cas system for control of replication.
Further ahead we see a safe, customisable, sustainable technology providing biological solutions to present and future challenges in biotechnology, agriculture and medicine.
We'd like to thank our amazing sponsors for the invaluable support and the possibilities they have given us to participate in iGEM 2017!
