Team:Dundee

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Targeting a Deadly Toxin

Explosions in the population of cyanobacteria can produce toxic algal blooms. Microcystin-LR the most potent and common algal bloom toxin, binds Protein Phosphatase 1. The average cyanobacteria infested lake in America contains over 1000 times the Microcystin safe drinking water limit set by the World Health Organisation.

Concerned by a harmful algal bloom in the local community, we used synthetic biology to target the toxin. We exploited the mechanism of Microcystin's toxicity to develop our Mop; by expressing Protein Phosphatase 1 we can mop up Microcystin. The interaction was also the basis for developing a biological Detector. To deploy our Detector and to consider the root causes of algal blooms we created the electronic Moptopus. It sits on a lake and monitors conditions relevant to cyanobacterial growth to help predict future blooms.

Mop

Mopping up a toxin (microcystin) by engineering a bacterium to produce the human PP1 protein, the protein to which microcystin binds.

Detector

Detecting microcystin by manipulation of the E. coli osmoregulator EnvZ.

Moptopus

An electronic sensing device that provides a platform for toxin detection. It relates a range of environmental conditions to algal bloom formation and toxicity.

Human Practices

This project has been carried out in collaboration with the community. By informing, listening and responding to their input, our project is based around community defined need, and is not merely a technical exercise.