Team:HUBU-Wuhan

abstract

  Building up biological parts in non-model bacterium Zymomonas mobilis for converting waste cartons into biofuels.

        Although many genetic parts have been characterized, they are mostly from and for model species with limited studies on their compatibility. Additionally, significant amount of omics data has also been accumulated but not widely utilized yet. Zymomonas mobilis is a non-model Gram-negative ethanologenic bacterium with many desirable characteristics to favor the production of lignocellulosic biofuels. In this project, a reporter-gene system for Z. mobilis was established to effectively characterize genetic parts such as promoters and RBS. Moreover, promoter strength was systematically predicted based on omics datasets. These genetic parts including their compatibility were then characterized and further utilized for building an isobutanol-production module to convert campus waste paper cartons into renewable biofuels of ethanol and isobutanol. The success of our project will not only build up a reporter-gene system, basic and composite parts for the non-model species, but also provide renewable biofuels while protecting the campus environment.