Team:Lund/Design/Animation

Design

GFPhER-α LBD

Our sensory elements

Superfolder GFP was split into three parts, namely GFP1-9 (the leftmost figure), GFP10 and GFP11. The GFP1-9 protein will be expressed in presence of organic pollutant molecules. The GFP10 and GFP11 tags were fused to the ligand binding domain of the human estrogen receptor alpha (hER-α LBD).

GFPhER-α LBDPhthalate

The working system

In presence of a phthalate molecule, which binds to hER-α LBD, the truncated receptor undergoes a conformational change which brings the GFP10 and GFP11 tags closer together.

GFPhER-α LBDPhthalate

Let there be light

Expressed GFP1-9 (indication of OP presence) binds to the GFP10-GFP11 construct (indicating of phthalate presence) and reconstitutes a functional sfGFP, resulting in a measurable fluorescent signal.