Team:KU Leuven/Basic Part
Basic Part
We added four basic parts to the registry: the ion channels mHCN2, hERG, Kir2.1, and α1G. We used these ion channels to build our project and to validate our model, but other teams might find them useful, too!
A detailed description of the biobricks created for the project can be found here
But what do we think about our biobricks ourselves? Here's our top 4:
Kir2.1 ❤
Our favourite biobrick is the inwardly rectifying potassium channel, Kir2.1. This protein is a mammalian ion channel, and has some interesting electrophysiological properties. For example,
In our project, we used this protein to verify the added value of our model. According to this model, the oscillating system could result from a combination of the mHCN2, hERG and α1G ion channels. We tested the modelled system in HEK cells, and obtained the oscillating system! However, the model suggested that the characteristics of the ion channels in the system are crucial for the system to work. Therefore, we were curious whether the oscillations would result from just any combination of polarising, depolarising and hyperpolarization-activated channels, and we tested a system consisting of mHCN2, Kir2.1 and α1G. As expected, this combination did not result in any oscillations, validating the importance of our model.
We tested the system containing mHCN2, Kir2.1 and α1G with two Kir2.1 variants: The wildtype gene, but also the biobrick-compatible variant we have presented to the registry. This biobrick-compatible variant was then cloned into the standard pSB1C3, verified using sequencing, and sent to the registry.
We hope future teams will find this biobrick as as useful as we did, and look forward to seeing its future uses!
