Throughout the year, LINKS_China and AISSU-Union shared the Yeast Toolkit and used it in both projects. However, in the beginning of the project, both teams were struggling to successfully express the genes from the Toolkit. The primary issue was that we were struggling to find a suitable condition that will work for Golden Gate Assembly. After several unsuccessful trials, team AISSU-Union discovered the optimal assembly condition for the Yeast Toolkit, and they test the expressed DNA with colony PCR to prove a successful expression. Knowing that we also desired to use the Yeast Toolkit, AISSU-Union shared the optimal condition guidelines with us, which contributes to our team’s level 1 construction.

Figure 1. The Yeast Toolkit (Lee ME, et al., 2015)

Part of our project requires the use of genetically modified yeast, S.cerevisiae BY4741, to produce fragrance to our synthetic leather product. In order to grant the yeast the ability to generate fragrance, we need to transform plasmid into the yeast. Team AISSU-Union offered support to us by improving and perfecting competent yeast cells and optimizing the procedure of yeast transformation. Using the perfected procedure, we managed to engineer fluorescent yeast that can produce GFP. (https://2021.igem.org/Team:LINKS_China/Engineering )

Later in the project, we successfully constructed and made use of the type9C plasmid vector. Knowing that AISSU-Union also needs the vector to express specific genes, we shared the type9 C-mTurquoise-Ura plasmid vector to them, which allowed them to make progress in their project. In return, AISSU-Union constructed the type8-pSB1K3-GFP vector and shared them with us, enabling us to complete our level 1 construction.

Figure 2.a samples of type8C, type9C, and type8K plasmid vectors.

Figure 2.b clones containing type8K and type8C plasmid vectors

Figure 3 Successful Colony PCR result of type9C vector

Throughout this year, AISSU-Union and LINKS_China maintained a close partnership. Together, we host several meeting sessions to discuss issues of any kind that we faced and cooperate to find a solution.

The communication with AISSU-Union peaked during the period of promotion video construction. After finishing the first draft of promotion video, LINKS_China and AISSU-Union decided to organize an online workshop meeting for both teams to share their videos and receive comments and suggestions from each other. Members of the teams participate actively in the online meeting room, and both sides received valuable feedbacks that inspired changes and improvements.

Approaching the freezing deadline of wiki, both teams were passionately constructing the team wiki pages. Aiming to improve the exhibition of content in wiki pages, we host a face-to-face discussion session with team AISSU-Union. During the meeting, Patrick Feng, the wiki constructor of our team offered guidance and advices to team AISSU-Union, helping them to construct better codes that improved the quality of their wiki. For example, we offered them a detailed PPT explaining ways to upload big files onto the wiki page. Aided by the guidance, AISSU-Union was able to avoid wasting time on evitable mistakes.

Figure 4.a Patrick Feng from LINKS_China helping Cheng from AISSU-Union solve issues encountered during wiki construction

Figure 4.b Collaborative meeting with AISSU-Union

Figure 4.c Collaborative meeting with AISSU-Union

Other then the friendly and cooperative connections we had regarding the experimental parts of our project, AISSU-Union also gave us firm support and inspiration on our team uniform designing process. After looking at our initial design, they offered us practical advices which inspired us to reconsider the plausibility of designing patterns on the edges of the clothing. In the end, we received an improved version of uniform.

Figure 5.a Title says “LINKS_China uniform-designing communication group chat”. Member from AISSU_Union on the left side of the screenshot, offering help to designer from LINKS_China

Figure 5.b Modified version of our uniform after discussing with AISSU-China

In the end, we deeply appreciate the building of an intimate partnership with AISSU-Union the year, and we are looking forward to continuous cooperations in the future.