Team:York/Project

From 2014.igem.org

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<h1>Our project</h1>
<h1>Our project</h1>
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<p>This year, iGEM York are working on a bioremediation project, involving the decontamination of wastewater. Our aim is to increase sulphate uptake in E.coli and chelate Cadmium (a toxic heavy metal) through the use of metal-binding proteins called phytochelatins.  
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Our project is divided into two main approaches that are interconnected: </p><ul>
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<p>Both cadmium and sulphates can create serious problems both to the environment and human health. Both can also be found in high concentrations in industrial output. This year, our project at iGEM York is focussing on increasing the uptake of sulphate in E. coli in order to chelate cadmium ions. The project has two main, interlinked approaches:</p><ul>
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<li><p>The increase of sulphate uptake (using an exogenous sulphate transporter from Bacillus) and its conversion into cysteine by tweaking the cysteine synthesis pathway.</p></li>
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<li><p>Firstly, the increased uptake of sulphur using an exogenous sulphate transporter from Bacillus.</p></li>
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<li><p>The increase of cadmium ion uptake (upregulation of cadmium transporters) and chelation (stabilisation of the metal by metal binding proteins). </p></li></ul><br>
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<li><p>Secondly the increased uptake and chelation of cadmium ions by metal binding proteins, to produce a potentially harvestable metal product.</p></li></ul>
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<p>The metal binding proteins are the link between the two approaches as they contain sulphur rich cysteine residues which will act as sinks for the cysteine overproduction.
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<p>The link between these two processes is phytochelatins; the sulphur rich metal binding proteins which will be used to chelate our cadmium ions.</p><br<br>
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The metal binding proteins are divided into two main categories: </p><ol>
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<li><p>Phytochelatins (synthesized by a phytochelatin synthetase in a stepwise reaction – so we are working with an exogenous Phytochelatin synthetase gene in E coli)</p></li>
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<li><p>Synthetic phytochelatins (engineered and directly translated from the DNA/RNA sequence without the need of a synthase).</p></li></ol><br>
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<p>Our system is regulated by the metal concentration in the environment. If the concentration reaches the threshold of our cadmium inducible promoter (pYoda) sensitivity then it will activate the whole system. Thus, our system prevents the overproduction of cysteine when Cadmium is not found at high concentrations.</p>
<p>Our system is regulated by the metal concentration in the environment. If the concentration reaches the threshold of our cadmium inducible promoter (pYoda) sensitivity then it will activate the whole system. Thus, our system prevents the overproduction of cysteine when Cadmium is not found at high concentrations.</p>

Revision as of 15:18, 17 October 2014

Team York 2014


Our project

Both cadmium and sulphates can create serious problems both to the environment and human health. Both can also be found in high concentrations in industrial output. This year, our project at iGEM York is focussing on increasing the uptake of sulphate in E. coli in order to chelate cadmium ions. The project has two main, interlinked approaches:

  • Firstly, the increased uptake of sulphur using an exogenous sulphate transporter from Bacillus.

  • Secondly the increased uptake and chelation of cadmium ions by metal binding proteins, to produce a potentially harvestable metal product.

The link between these two processes is phytochelatins; the sulphur rich metal binding proteins which will be used to chelate our cadmium ions.

Our system is regulated by the metal concentration in the environment. If the concentration reaches the threshold of our cadmium inducible promoter (pYoda) sensitivity then it will activate the whole system. Thus, our system prevents the overproduction of cysteine when Cadmium is not found at high concentrations.

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