Melbourne iGEM 2017 is currently working on a project built upon experiments and design by previous teams from The University of Melbourne (2014, 2016). The project involves a molecule called StarScaffold, designed so that when expressed, can form four free-floating arms after disulphide formation and specific protease cleavage. By using split inteins, this molecule has the capability of ligating with four different enzymes and catalysing a chemical synthetic pathway, or bind to other molecules of StarScaffold to form a mesh-like polymer. Indeed, this process has a wide range of applications, in both commercial and pharmaceutical settings.

So far this year, the 2017 Melbourne team has attempted to solve the major issues faced by the 2016 team. After inheriting the prototype, we have amplified it, ligated it into a pSB1C3 vector and transfected it into DH5 storage cells. We have more recently been attempting to sequence this to ensure that the construct is intact and as expected before expression in BL21 (DE3) cells. Parallel to this, the team has been divided into several smaller groups to identify a good proof of concept; the ideal demonstration would involve a simple synthetic pathway that could function with post-translational modifications available in E. coli in monomeric form. We are still yet to identify a suitable pathway for this brief, but will endeavour to find one.

Our current research interests and potential applications include:

Hydrogels

Dopamine synthesis

Mevalonate pathway

References to be provided as research is updated.

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Description