Welcome to iGEM 2017!

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Before you start:

Please read the following pages:

Project Description

Biofilms are often maligned because of their roles in antibiotic-resistant infections and dental plaque. However, biofilms also offer an attractive platform for the design of self- assembling biomaterials programmed for specific functionality. The amyloid protein CsgA accounts for the majority of the proteinaceous component, curli nanofibres, of Escherichia coli biofilms. CsgA has been shown to be relatively tolerant of C-terminal fusions, allowing CsgA endowed with diverse peptide domains to be secreted and self-assembled outside the cell similar to normal curli nanofibres. Here, QGEM presents the genetic engineering of CsgA to create a bifunctional biofilm that both binds ice and degrades hydrocarbons. A type I antifreeze protein, AFP8, will be fused to CsgA for ice binding, and a PA-14 adhesin domain will be fused, via the SpyTag-SpyCatcher system, to bind the hydrocarbon-degrading bacterium Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus. Thus, the end-product will be a bifunctional biofilm with the capacity to establish itself on Arctic ice for the purpose of degrading toxic hydrocarbons present in oil spills. Our modelling team will be compiling a code that calculates optimal promoter strengths for a desired biofilm composition (e.g. antifreeze protein to adhesin Csg ratio), with the ultimate goal of using logic gates to design responsive biofilms that can alter functionality when exposed to different environmental cues.

Wiki template information

We have created these wiki template pages to help you get started and to help you think about how your team will be evaluated. You can find a list of all the pages tied to awards here at the Pages for awards link. You must edit these pages to be evaluated for medals and awards, but ultimately the design, layout, style and all other elements of your team wiki is up to you!

Editing your wiki

On this page you can document your project, introduce your team members, document your progress and share your iGEM experience with the rest of the world!

Use WikiTools - Edit in the black menu bar to edit this page

Tips

This wiki will be your team’s first interaction with the rest of the world, so here are a few tips to help you get started:

State your accomplishments! Tell people what you have achieved from the start.
Be clear about what you are doing and how you plan to do this.
You have a global audience! Consider the different backgrounds that your users come from.
Make sure information is easy to find; nothing should be more than 3 clicks away.
Avoid using very small fonts and low contrast colors; information should be easy to read.
Start documenting your project as early as possible; don’t leave anything to the last minute before the Wiki Freeze. For a complete list of deadlines visit the iGEM 2017 calendar
Have lots of fun!

Inspiration

You can also view other team wikis for inspiration! Here are some examples:

Uploading pictures and files

You can upload your pictures and files to the iGEM 2017 server. Remember to keep all your pictures and files within your team's namespace or at least include your team's name in the file name.
When you upload, set the "Destination Filename" to
T--YourOfficialTeamName--NameOfFile.jpg. (If you don't do this, someone else might upload a different file with the same "Destination Filename", and your file would be erased!)

UPLOAD FILES

Team:Queens Canada