# Key Points from #hplusroadmap IRC Discussion

• A novel protein purification method using magnetosome-based technology was presented, combining Spytag-Spycatcher covalent conjugation with magnetic bacteria (AMB-1) to create a system where proteins can be purified using simple magnets.

• Several innovative iGEM 2016 synthetic biology projects were highlighted, including blue-light controlled hydrogen production in algae, tardigrade proteins for bacterial desiccation resistance, and using Clostridium difficile toxin B for Cas9 delivery.

• Researchers discussed a reversible gene editing system targeting RNA rather than DNA, using APOBEC1 and ADAR1/2 enzymes with CRISPR to enable non-permanent C-to-U and A-to-I edits to RNA transcripts.

• Bacterial microcompartments with controllable assembly/disassembly were described, incorporating non-natural amino acids into shell proteins with potential for light-activated (azobenzene) control of compartment formation.

• A DIY -80°C freezer construction project from UMaryland's iGEM team demonstrated accessible approaches to building specialized lab equipment.

• Participants explored reverse engineering the protein folding software Foldit to enable custom protein analysis, discovering it uses standard PDB files that could potentially be replaced with user-created ones.

• A Germany-wide consortium of research libraries announced a boycott of Elsevier journals over open access issues, indicating growing institutional resistance to traditional academic publishing models.