Team:SDU-Denmark/Tour61

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<p>
<p>
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<span class="intro">Edible coli is an</span> innovative idea with big potential to be put into practice as a food source in the future. It
+
<span class="intro">Edible coli is an innovative idea</span> with a big potential to be put into practice as a food source in the future. Results indicate that our bacteria are expressing the self designed protein, which was a major part of the project. But  
-
seems like our bacteria is expressing the self designed protein, which was a major part of the project. But  
+
to complete the development of all our project ideas, and create a fully fledged Edible coli, the following  
to complete the development of all our project ideas, and create a fully fledged Edible coli, the following  
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points must be fulfilled.<br><br>
+
points must be fulfilled.<br>
<ul>
<ul>
<li>UPR (unfolded protein response) mechanisms must be studied further. A result from one of our
<li>UPR (unfolded protein response) mechanisms must be studied further. A result from one of our
Western Blot experiments showed a band that fits with the length of a protease, which means that  
Western Blot experiments showed a band that fits with the length of a protease, which means that  
it might be expressed during the expression of our OneProt.</li>
it might be expressed during the expression of our OneProt.</li>
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<li>Transform OneProt into an odorfree strain. Further analyse the growth of the bacteria, to compare
+
<li>Transform OneProt into an odorfree strain. Further analysis of the growth of the bacteria, to be compared
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with the growth curve of wild type K12 strain <i>Escherichia coli</i> containing OneProt.</li>
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with the growth curve of wild type K12 MG1655 strain <i>Escherichia coli</i> expressing OneProt.</li>
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<li>Isolate and purify &Delta;9 and &Delta;15 desaturase and transform into Edible coli for &omega;3 and
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<li>Isolate and purify &Delta;9 and &Delta;15 desaturases and transform them into Edible coli for &omega;3 and
&omega;6 fatty acid synthesis.</li>
&omega;6 fatty acid synthesis.</li>
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<li>Characterize and analyse flavor improvements.</li>
+
<li>Characterize and analyze the flavor improvements.</li>
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<li>Transform cellulase into Edible coli, so that the bacteria is able to break down cellulose to glucose
+
<li>Transform cellulases into Edible coli, so the bacteria will be able to break down cellulose to glucose
and use cellulose as a carbon source.</li>
and use cellulose as a carbon source.</li>
</ul><br>
</ul><br>
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<span class="intro">We thought about much</span> other potential of Edible coli. It would be great to design a bacteria that express different amounts of the individual amino acids and fats, which would be regulated individually and  
+
<span class="intro">We thought about many other potentials</span> of Edible coli. It would be great to design a bacteria that expresses different amounts of the individual amino acids and fats, which would be regulated individually and  
-
customized to the need of the consumer. To get an even more nourishing product, Edible coli might also  
+
customized to the need of the consumer. To get an even more nourishing product Edible coli might also  
-
produce vitamins and minerals.<br>
+
produce vitamins and minerals.<br><br>
-
Furthermore, the bacteria might have a safety mechanism, which kills the cell when it escapes to the  
+
 
-
environment. For that reason knockout bacteria might be used. When all ribozymes are knocked out and  
+
<span class="intro">Furthermore, the bacteria might have</span> a safety mechanism which kills the cell if it escapes to the  
-
only incorporated in the plasmid, the bacteria will die, when it loses its plasmid. This is also a good way to  
+
environment. For that reason, knockout bacteria might be used. When all ribozymes are knocked out and  
 +
only incorporated in the plasmid, the bacteria will die when it loses its plasmid. This is also a good way to  
select without the use of antibiotics.<br><br>
select without the use of antibiotics.<br><br>
-
<span class="intro">At least, eating bacteria</span> has been the major ethical issue during our design and development of Edible
+
<span class="intro">Eating bacteria has been the major ethical issue</span> during our design and development of Edible
coli. This led us to the idea of transferring our system into another organism, like for example yeast that  
coli. This led us to the idea of transferring our system into another organism, like for example yeast that  
is accepted as food, although it is a living organism. Unfortunately yeast does not include all amino acid  
is accepted as food, although it is a living organism. Unfortunately yeast does not include all amino acid  
-
pathways, which makes it a big project to transform all essential enzymes.<br>
+
pathways, which makes it difficult to transform all essential enzymes.<br><br>
-
In addition, it might be a good idea to transfer our system into eukaryotic cells and study the growth and  
+
 
 +
<span class="intro">In addition, it might be a good idea</span> to transfer our system into eukaryotic cells and study the growth and  
morphology of the cells over time, to see if the system is toxic or if it has any influence on the cells at all.
morphology of the cells over time, to see if the system is toxic or if it has any influence on the cells at all.
<br><br><br>
<br><br><br>

Latest revision as of 00:44, 18 October 2014

Next steps

β€œIt's kind of fun to do the impossible!” – Walt Disney

Edible coli is an innovative idea with a big potential to be put into practice as a food source in the future. Results indicate that our bacteria are expressing the self designed protein, which was a major part of the project. But to complete the development of all our project ideas, and create a fully fledged Edible coli, the following points must be fulfilled.

  • UPR (unfolded protein response) mechanisms must be studied further. A result from one of our Western Blot experiments showed a band that fits with the length of a protease, which means that it might be expressed during the expression of our OneProt.
  • Transform OneProt into an odorfree strain. Further analysis of the growth of the bacteria, to be compared with the growth curve of wild type K12 MG1655 strain Escherichia coli expressing OneProt.
  • Isolate and purify Δ9 and Δ15 desaturases and transform them into Edible coli for ω3 and ω6 fatty acid synthesis.
  • Characterize and analyze the flavor improvements.
  • Transform cellulases into Edible coli, so the bacteria will be able to break down cellulose to glucose and use cellulose as a carbon source.

We thought about many other potentials of Edible coli. It would be great to design a bacteria that expresses different amounts of the individual amino acids and fats, which would be regulated individually and customized to the need of the consumer. To get an even more nourishing product Edible coli might also produce vitamins and minerals.

Furthermore, the bacteria might have a safety mechanism which kills the cell if it escapes to the environment. For that reason, knockout bacteria might be used. When all ribozymes are knocked out and only incorporated in the plasmid, the bacteria will die when it loses its plasmid. This is also a good way to select without the use of antibiotics.

Eating bacteria has been the major ethical issue during our design and development of Edible coli. This led us to the idea of transferring our system into another organism, like for example yeast that is accepted as food, although it is a living organism. Unfortunately yeast does not include all amino acid pathways, which makes it difficult to transform all essential enzymes.

In addition, it might be a good idea to transfer our system into eukaryotic cells and study the growth and morphology of the cells over time, to see if the system is toxic or if it has any influence on the cells at all.