Team:Rice University

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Revision as of 01:25, 29 October 2008

INTRODUCTION ::: BACKGROUND ::: STRATEGY ::: CONSTRUCTS ::: RESULTS ::: ONGOING WORK ::: OUR TEAM

Resveratrol, a phytochemical in plants, has been implicated as a natural product that extends life span and prevents cancer, coronary disease and neurodegenerative maladies. Unfortunately, resveratrol is only present at appreciable levels in a small number of foods, such as red wine, peanuts, and blueberries. To create an alternative source for resveratrol consumption, we are introducing a biosynthetic pathway for this compound into a brewing strain of yeast and examining whether this strain can be engineered to produce resveratrol during beer fermentation. Given the high worldwide consumption of beer and the low cost of production, unfiltered beer brewed using our genetically modified fungi should provide a cost-effective source of pharmacologically-active resveratrol, and this engineering approach should be useful for cheap of other air sensitive prophylactics.

INTRODUCTION ::: BACKGROUND ::: STRATEGY ::: CONSTRUCTS ::: RESULTS ::: ONGOING WORK ::: OUR TEAM

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-Our project for this year is BIOBEER, where we are genetically engineering the biosynthetic pathway for resveratrol production into a brewing yeast strain. Resveratrol has been shown to have a plethora of health benefits, including anti-cancer and anti-viral activity, cardio- and neuro-protective effects, modulation of diabetes, and anti-aging effects. Although research has been done previously to produce resveratrol in various organisms, no one to date has developed a yeast strain able to synthesize resveratrol in a de novo manner. We are going one step further, characterizing resveratrol production during anaerobic fermentation with the intent of creating a beer that contains all the health benefits of wine. Get ready for resveratrol in a fizzy ready-to-consume beverage!
+Resveratrol, a phytochemical in plants, has been implicated as a natural product that extends life span and prevents cancer, coronary disease and neurodegenerative maladies. Unfortunately, resveratrol is only present at appreciable levels in a small number of foods, such as red wine, peanuts, and blueberries. To create an alternative source for resveratrol consumption, we are introducing a biosynthetic pathway for this compound into a brewing strain of yeast and examining whether this strain can be engineered to produce resveratrol during beer fermentation. Given the high worldwide consumption of beer and the low cost of production, unfiltered beer brewed using our genetically modified fungi should provide a cost-effective source of pharmacologically-active resveratrol, and this engineering approach should be useful for cheap of other air sensitive prophylactics.
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 [[Team:Rice_University|INTRODUCTION]] :::  [[Team:Rice_University/BACKGROUND|BACKGROUND]] :::  [[Team:Rice_University/STRATEGY|STRATEGY]] :::  [[Team:Rice_University/CONSTRUCTS|CONSTRUCTS]] :::  [[Team:Rice_University/RESULTS|RESULTS]] :::  [[Team:Rice_University/CONCLUSIONS|ONGOING WORK]] :::  [[Team:Rice_University/OUR TEAM|OUR TEAM]]