This has been an intensive period: this much is obvious. As is the energy. Anna Rundstedt explains enthusiastically that this is the first time anyone has expressed this human receptor in yeast and linked it to the existing reaction pathway, which in turn has been linked to the production of an indigo blue colour. These types of receptor are common, and about half of the receptors in the body could probably express colour, which means that the team's research results could be used in completely different contexts in future. The Chalmers Gothenburg team has seen clear colour differences in its samples and succeeded in producing blue bubbles. This colour has a strong pigment, which is an advantage, and after having deleted a cell wall protein it would be possible to detect larger molecules. The results will now be published and presented at iGEM in Amsterdam before long. 

"This research is in its early stages, and of course it would mean a lot both to us personally and to Chalmers as a whole if our efforts in Amsterdam were to be high-profile," says Anna Rundstedt. We hope more young students will be motivated as a result!

Find out more about the project and iGEM: http://2012.igem.org/Team:Chalmers-Gothenburg

Contact: Anna Rundstedt, telephone +46 (0) 73 577 43 33