International Rational Genome Design Contest

GenoCon is an international science and technology contest supporting future specialists in rational genome design for Synthetic Biology. (Nature news)
This competition having based on semantic-web technology aims to accumulate and share genome-design theories and programs from researchers around the world.
GenoCon accepts designed DNA sequences that improve plant physiology by rationally utilizing the clusters of databases including genomic and protein data integrated by RIKEN SciNeS. (Link to RIKEN press release)

STEP 1

Read carefully the assignment given by GenoCon.

STEP 2

Create a computer program to convert the functionality assigned in STEP 1 to the DNA sequence for the model plant genome. If you are a starter, you had better try a sample program first and modify it.

STEP 3

Execute the programs to output a DNA sequence conferring to the model plant the assigned functionality. Submissions of the following three items `Designed DNA Sequences`, `Program`, and `Report` are required for entry. The three items can be created in working space named `My Page`.

STEP4

The organizer and technical partners will select qualified DNA sequences for experiments by screening submissions based on scientific knowledge and their originality. Professionals will insert the selected DNA sequences into genomes and assay the resulting model plant.

GenoCon is designed with safety in mind. Participants are constrained to so-called bioinformatics activities, (to STEP3), designing DNA sequences from genomic-related information in a browser-based programming environment provided by SciNeS. RIKEN and other research institutes are responsible for biological assays (STEP 4)^*1.

<*1> `Design freely and Test safely` is control criteria for GenoCon.The selectors will screen the submitted DNA sequences in the light of current safety and ethical standards and select candidate sequences for experiments. Any DNA sequence designed with only information has no safety and ethical problems. GenoCon will accept any freely-designed DNA sequence as long as it is designed based on scientific evidence. Such designed sequence may not be candidate for experiments, but may be publicized through this contest site widely. Those sequences might be highly evaluated in the field of genome design, used as an open resource, and verified in the future.