HKUST (Guangzhou) team wins international gold medal

On October 26th, the 2024 International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition (iGEM), often called the "World Championship" of synthetic biology, ended in Paris, France. A team of 15 undergraduate students from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) emerged victorious in the competition.

In their second year of study and forming the university's inaugural undergraduate team, these students won the Gold Medal for their project "Utilising Chromoprotein Expression to Counteract Coral Bleaching: An Innovative Light and Temperature Approach." Additionally, the team received a nomination for Best New Basic Part.
The team is dedicated to addressing the issue of coral bleaching. They have developed an innovative solution to enhance coral resilience by leveraging cutting-edge synthetic biology techniques. Team members pointed out that coral reefs globally are at risk of bleaching due to rising sea temperatures and increased light intensity. However, current methods are either difficult to implement on a large scale or interfere with the natural physiological processes of corals. To overcome these challenges, the team plans to genetically engineer a bacterium, Endozoicomonas, which is symbiotic with corals, to produce a light-shielding chromoprotein under specific environmental stresses. This protein reduces the excess light reaching the photosynthetic algae (zooxanthellae) within the coral, mitigating oxidative damage without interfering with the essential functions of coral cells, akin to applying "sunscreen" to the coral.

Through a meticulously designed gene regulatory circuit sensitive to heat and light, the team ensures that the chromoprotein is only activated under stressful environmental conditions, allowing the coral and bacteria to maintain normal physiological activities at other times. This innovative approach cleverly mimics the protective effect of natural turbid waters on corals, where lower light intensity reduces the occurrence of bleaching events. The project offers a sustainable and scalable strategy specifically targeting coral bleaching caused by high temperatures and intense light, providing new hope for the long-term health and stability of coral ecosystems.

Founded by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2003, iGEM is an annual top-tier international scientific competition in synthetic biology. It focuses on life sciences while integrating disciplines such as mathematics, chemistry, engineering, and big data, encouraging participants to use synthetic biology and engineering principles to solve practical problems. The competition and its research findings receive attention from prestigious academic journals like Science and Nature annually, enjoying widespread international influence. This year, the elite event attracted over 400 teams from more than 50 countries and regions worldwide. The team from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) excelled in the project presentation and poster sessions, securing the gold medal in their inaugural participation.

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