Team:Edinburgh/Results

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Revision as of 13:55, 28 October 2008 by Cfrench (Talk | contribs)

Results and current status as of 29 October 2008. We are hoping to obtain some last-minute results to present at the Jamboree.

Contents

Overview

Our results are promising but our dream of using bacteria to convert cellulose into starch and β-carotene is still unrealised. Fortunately, the work will be continued by two undergraduate students after Christmas.

Cellulolysis device

Edinburgh Map1 Cellulolysis.jpg

  • cenA (endoglucanase) and cex (exoglucanase): Biobricks made and ribosome binding site added; ready to test.
  • bglX (beta glucosidase): Biobrick made and ribosome binding site added; ready to test.
  • PcstA (promoter): Biobrick made and tested - successful.

Glycogenesis device

Edinburgh Map2 Glycogen.jpg

Starch synthesis device

Edinburgh Map3 Starch.jpg

  • su1 and iso2 (isoamylases): Work in progress - pre-BioBrick constructs in pSB1A2 have been made using the BABEL protocol, but it is still necessary to remove internal EcoRI sites before fully compliant BioBricks will be ready to test. This work will be continued in an undergraduate honours project.

Lycopene generator

Edinburgh Map4 BCarotene.jpg

  • dxs+crtE+crtB+crtI+crtY: Work in progress - encountered problem at final step.

Limonene synthase device

Edinburgh Map5 Limonene.jpg

  • dxs+LIMS+appY: Biobrick made - still being tested (last test failed to detect limonene synthesis).

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the following researchers for their contributions to our project:

  • Raman spectroscopy for glycogen production was done by Dr Rabah Mouras.
  • Mutagenesis of crtI was done by Douglas Armstrong.
  • The maize isoamylase genes su1 and iso2 were generously donated by Professor Alan Myers of Iowa State University.