Exeter iGEM
After speaking to Exeter at the UK iGEM Meetup we arranged a collaboration. Initially, we had multiple ideas of how to collaborate, involving using some specialised equipment we had access to at Cardiff University. However, in the end we arranged an experiment to validate the results of an experiment that Exeter had previously carried out. Exeter were interested in testing the use of UV as a bactericide, as a way to ensure the biosafety of their filter model. Exeter sent us their protocol, which we followed and found results supporting their hypothesis.

Valencia UPV
Valencia UPV contacted us as both teams were working on similar expression systems, using tobacco plants. We began by setting up meetings over Skype to discuss our projects and begin to understand ways we could collaborate. We began discussing the different promoters both teams were trying to synthesise, and agreed that we could validate the promoter in one another’s expression system to confirm its function. However, due to time constraints we were unable to complete the experiment to test Valencia’s PR1:Luc+:NosT construct, which they had created and sent to us. We also encountered issues with the WRKY:Luc+:NosT construct we had aimed to send to Valencia, meaning we could not complete the collaboration. Speaking to Valencia UPV iGEM’s team proved very useful, as they have a lot of experience using plant expression systems, and during our skypes with them, we were able to ask them questions and understand where some of our experiments may have been going wrong.

WashU
Early on in our project, we tweeted out offering collaboration by expressing other team’s systems in our plant expression system. Due to this tweet WashU iGEM got in touch with us, showing interest in expressing their project in plants. Their project aimed to reduce UV damage in photosynthetic organisms, but were unable to express the system in plants due to lack of specialist resources. We set up a skype meeting to talk about the collaboration, and what they would like us to do. However, WashU were unable to send the clones in the Golden Gate standard, that we needed for us to express their constructs in our plant expression system. Therefore, the collaboration was unable to be performed.