Team:Pitt/Skin Probiotic/Cathelicidin/Intro

Cathelicidin

The natural tendency for P. acnes to reside in the skin makes P. acnes an ideal candidate for a skin probiotic. Using the transformation protocol optimized by our team, we can insert novel genes for beneficent functions into P. acnes. One such function is the secretion of an anti-microbial peptide, which would reduce inflammation by inhibiting the growth of bacteria in the area.

Cathelicidin is a natural antibiotic produced by the immune cells of many mammals, including humans. The antimicrobial peptide gene will be constructed into the plasmid along with an inducible blue-light promoter. If successful, the bacteria containing the plasmid will produce the cathelicidin when exposed to blue light and in turn suppress the P. acnes population when it becomes elevated.

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