# Key Points from IRC Discussion (January 15, 2014)

• Participants discussed synthetic biology design tools, specifically highlighting ClothoCAD (clothocad.org) as a potentially useful open-source platform for biological design work.

• The conversation included detailed technical discussion about DNA assembly methods for fusion proteins, with specific interest in creating HIV1 TAT + PKR + APAF1 fusion proteins with minimal equipment requirements.

• DRACO (dsRNA activated caspase oligomerizer) was explained as a broad-spectrum antiviral therapeutic that works by binding to double-stranded RNA in infected cells and triggering apoptosis.

• Nootropics and cognitive enhancement were debated, with participants discussing the efficacy and safety profiles of various compounds including amphetamines, modafinil, and ethylphenidate.

• The group explored DIY biology infrastructure, noting connections between GeneAndCell.com and OpenBiotech.com (both apparently run by John Schloendorn), demonstrating interest in accessible biotechnology resources.

• Web-payment technologies built on JSON-LD were discussed, with references to web-payments.org and GitHub repositories containing HTTP signatures implementation in Meteor.

• Participants shared scientific resources including a Nature Neuroscience paper (doi:10.1038/nn.3620) and "Molecular Cloning - A Laboratory Manual," reflecting the channel's focus on scientific literature and practical laboratory techniques.