MAX (Metal Alert Xystem) is an Arduino based bacterial-human interface
designed to enable engineered bacteria (biosensors) to deliver real time data to
humans for the first time in the form of a text message. MAX brings together
hardware, wetware and industrial design and applies it to a real-world problem:
the lack of a reliable form of communication between engineered systems and
the human scientist. With MAX, your bacteria can now ‘talk’ to you via text
messages, reporting what they are detecting wherever you are on the globe!
Through synthetic biology, biosensors are the cutting edge of detection systems,
especially for different kinds of pollution. However, reporter expression be it
color, fluorescence or pH, is analog and obtaining results is time consuming and
tedious. The table lists some common and uncommon reporters in iGEM and their
measurement methods with time. Obtaining real time data is almost impossible
with the most commonly used reporters.
| IGEM Reporters |
Assay |
Time |
| Fluoroprotein |
Plate reader |
1 Hour |
| Chromoprotein |
Spectrophotometer |
0.5 Hours |
| Luciferase |
Plate reader |
1 Hour |
| Other Reporters |
|
|
| pH |
pH Meter, Strip |
20-5 Minutes |
| Electric pulse |
Measurement Electrodes |
Instant |
MAX, however eliminates the need for meticulous assays and expensive
analytical equipment by reporting change as it happens. MAX currently
detects all RGB colors and intensity with sufficient accuracy and is
programmed to send out text alerts to report change in either. It comes
in a neat, easy to use and ingenious design that can fit 50ml falcon
tubes of bacterial culture. Being completely modular, MAX can be
equipped and programmed to detect virtually any kind of reporter
expression and report it to the user at intervals of their choice. It can
also be equipped for all kinds of chassis, including animals. A
waterproof version of MAX for our Reporter Fish that will relay heavy
metal detection alerts to fish farmers is currently under development.
This bacterial-human interface addresses the need of the hour for
cheaper, faster, accurate and easy to use technology that can integrate
with biology. Synthetic biology needs better and faster tools and MAX
lies at the very intersection of engineering, IT, and biology and brings
them all together to enable our engineered biological systems to do
something no bacteria has ever done before – text an accurate data
report to a human.
To watch the video and to learn more about MAX including a detailed step-by-
step tutorial on how to build your own, visit the Hardware.
