“Cookie-cutter” laboratory courses where each student or lab group attempt identical experiments, record similar data, decipher common trends, and write analogous laboratory reports has been the cornerstone of chemistry and biochemistry laboratory courses for decades. One problem with this mode of instruction is that the learning and discovery that results from these labs is also restricted, due to the lack of freedom for students to explore alternate routes around a central laboratory theme. We will describe preliminary ideas for a discovery-based biotechnology laboratory course based on the colorful violacein pathway. An idea for an advanced laboratory course will be presented where the students will be able to develop their own experiments based on gene regulation and pathway flux in E. coli. The students will make hypotheses and design experiments to test these hypotheses using the violacein pathway. To help with implementation of this idea into the existing curriculum, a biochemical toolbox of potential design parts, including CRISPRi-based technology, has been developed and characterized. In addition to gaining familiarity with common biochemical laboratory techniques such as molecular cloning and plasmid transformation, the students will be able to apply the recently developed ePathOptimize technique to explore transcriptional pathway optimization. In addition to genetic optimization many fermentation-based optimization parameters including temperature, induction point, and media composition can also be considered to improve titers of violacein in vivo. Presentation of research findings can be encouraged at department or university-wide undergraduate research symposiums. Preliminary cost estimates and equipment requirements for implementation of these labs will also be discussed.

Using the violacein pathway for discovery-based biotechnology laboratory exercises on gene regulation and pathway optimization

251st National Meeting (2016)

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