1. Seek and Destroy Coli

From 2006.igem.org

Overview

The objective of this project is to engineer Escherichia coli which are able to actively pursue and mark or eliminate another bacterial target. This system can be divided into three components: an input element, a processing element, and a response element. The input element will consist of a quorum sensing circuit which would allow specific detection of the bacterial target. The processing element will facilitate the signaling of this input into controlled responses. A number of different response elements can be conceived, used to be used separately or in tandem: 1) integration into the chemotactic pathway of E. coli, allowing for directed mobilization towards the target, 2) reporter response at high pheromone concentrations to allow for visual identification of the target, and 3) an elimination response to produce molecules which are specifically lethal to the desired target. Such a feat will demonstrate the ability to engineer complex behavioral phenotypes (predatory-prey behavior) into bacterial systems by the integration of biological modules (quorum sensing, chemotaxis, etc.).