Artificial cells translate chemical signals for E. coli. (a) In the absence of artificial cells (circles), E. coli (oblong) cannot sense theophylline. (b) Artificial cells can be engineered to detect theophylline and in response release IPTG, a chemical signal that induces a response in E. coli. | Credit : HTTGA

Background of this Experiment (HTTGA)

http://fab.cba.mit.edu/classes/S66.19/S66.19/assignments/syntheticminimalcells.html

GFP is green fluorescent protein – you can go learn more on Wikipedia. Mature GFP is fluorescent on it’s own – the fluorophore is made of amino acids from the GFP protein itself.

FIAsH is a very short protein, not fluorescent on its own. The fluorescence comes from the ligand, a small molecule that’s bound to the FIAsH peptide. The ligand’s full name is fluorescein arsenical helix binder bis-EDT adduct, FIAsH-EDT2.

Unfortunately, team BioFluid was unable to participate in this experiment!