User:Vincent Rouilly/Hands On BioBrick Activity

Vincent 13:42, 6 June 2007 (EDT): feel free to comment on the content of the activity described and its design.

Context

 * Following last year Imperial College participation to iGEM, my group is putting together an exhibit for the  Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2007.
 * We feel it is a great opportunity to engage with the Public on the concepts behind Synthetic Biology.
 * The exhibit attracts a diverse audience from school kids to science enthusiasts.
 * I have started to design a hands-on activity, and describe its early design below.

Intentions behind the activity

 * To set the background in terms of Molecular and Celluar Biology:
 * DNA, Central Dogma, Cells and Bacteria
 * Genetic Engineering techniques
 * To touch on Synthetic Biology concepts:
 * BioBricks
 * Modularity
 * Re-usability
 * To give an opportunity to build simple genetic circuits based on opto-electronic components:
 * Protein Generator
 * Inverter, Toggle switch & Repressilator
 * Link circuits with inputs such as: temperature sensor, Infra-red sensor, Touch sensor, Humidity sensor.
 * Link circuits with outputs such as: flagella motor, secretion fan.

Biobricks

 * constitutive promoter:
 * Duplo brick 2x2
 * potentiometer
 * connector
 * battery
 * electronic circuit


 * activated/repressed promoter:
 * Duplo brick 2x2
 * LED sensor: sensor1
 * connector connector others others
 * battery
 * electronic circuit


 * ribosome binding site
 * Duplo brick 2x2
 * potentiometer to tune strength of RBS
 * battery
 * connectors x2


 * Protein coding region
 * Duplo brick 4x2
 * LED (with different colors): LEDs
 * multi level bar graph LED + electronic circuit: bar graph display, bar graph driver
 * connectors x2


 * Stop codon
 * Duplo brick 2x2
 * Connector x1

Inputs Sensors

 * Temperature:kit
 * Touch: kit
 * Infra-red: kit
 * Humidity: kit

Motors

 * motor: motors
 * fans: fans

Electronic Circuits

 * Light/Dark detector
 * temperature AOP
 * light sensor based on transistors
 * optic fibre transmitter
 * good stuff

