Our goal with this part was not only to use it but to contribute by enhancing its characterization for future iGEM teams. We wanted to go beyond the initial measurements done in 2012 for the induction of the PxylA promoter by xylose. In addition to replicating these earlier findings, we sought to expand the characterization by investigating the effects of catabolite repression—a factor that hadn’t been thoroughly explored in previous studies. This involves examining how the presence of glucose impacts the promoter's induction by xylose, giving future users of BBa_K733018 a more complete understanding of its behavior under varying metabolic conditions.
To make this contribution as valuable as possible, we performed rigorous tests and gathered new data. For example, we conducted side-by-side inductions with and without glucose to see the differential effects on expression levels, giving deeper insights into how the promoter is regulated in the presence of preferred carbon sources. By refining these experiments, we were able to map out how glucose-mediated repression affects the promoter's functionality across different xylose concentrations.
Moreover, we’ve ensured that all additional data and experimental conditions are available on the part’s page, with detailed protocols provided in the materials and methods section of our wiki. This ensures that future teams can not only replicate our results but also build upon them, taking the characterization even further. With these new insights, teams aiming to use BBa_K733018 in complex metabolic circuits or synthetic biology systems will have a more robust foundation to work from.
Our work on this part exemplifies our commitment to the iGEM community, as we aimed to make this part more reliable, informative, and versatile for future applications. We hope that future teams will benefit from our contribution, just as we benefited from the work of others before us.