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<div class="row"> | <div class="row"> | ||
<h3><span>Abstract:</span><br></h3> | <h3><span>Abstract:</span><br></h3> | ||
− | <h3>Ginseng products offer unique opportunity to meet the atherosclerosis challenge. Herbs containing ginsenosides include: Ginseng, Western Ginseng, Notoginseng, Jiaogulan etc. Current herb preparation and administration practice results in poor absorption profile limit its efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Since the ginseno-sterols are responsible for their main pharmacological effects, how to achieve effective concentration of sterol in the human body become critical. <br> Our long-term goal is to improve the health-promoting effects of ginsenosides. We believe that sterols (triterpenes)in the ginsenosides are responsible for their main benefits. Therefore in the past projects we engineered synthetic squalene cyclase for in situ production of ginseng-sterols in human cells and produced synthetic β-glucosidase in E.coli for removal of sugar from ginsenosides. In the current strategy, in the wake of “No release” policy of the iGEM community, we are able to by-pass synthetic biology methods to achieve our goal by applying in vitro chemical reactions. </h3> | + | <h3>Ginseng products offer a unique opportunity to meet the atherosclerosis challenge. Herbs containing ginsenosides include: Ginseng, Western Ginseng, Notoginseng, Jiaogulan etc. Current herb preparation and administration practice results in poor absorption profile limit its efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Since the ginseno-sterols are responsible for their main pharmacological effects, how to achieve effective concentration of sterol in the human body become critical. <br> Our long-term goal is to improve the health-promoting effects of ginsenosides. We believe that sterols (triterpenes)in the ginsenosides are responsible for their main benefits. Therefore in the past projects we engineered synthetic squalene cyclase for in situ production of ginseng-sterols in human cells and produced synthetic β-glucosidase in E.coli for removal of sugar from ginsenosides. In the current strategy, in the wake of “No release” policy of the iGEM community, we are able to by-pass synthetic biology methods to achieve our goal by applying in vitro chemical reactions. </h3> |
− | + | ||
<h3><span>In the past, two approaches have been tried to achieve this: </span></h3> | <h3><span>In the past, two approaches have been tried to achieve this: </span></h3> | ||
− | <h3>(1) Synthesize ginseno-sterols in situ Pro: | + | <h3>(1) Synthesize ginseno-sterols in situ. Pro: no need to plant ginseng and harvest, continuous supply of ginseno-sterols; Con: interference with host physiology, lack of control in production. <br> |
− | (2) Produce beta-glucosides in the gut micro-organism. | + | (2) Produce beta-glucosides in the host gut micro-organism. Pro: convenient to hydrolyze ginsenosides in the gut; Con: interference with gut physiology and probiotics.<br></h3> |
<div><h3><span>In the current third approach</span>, we use chemical reaction to hydrolyze the conjugated sugars, to satisfy “No-release” policy if iGEM safety requirement.</h3> | <div><h3><span>In the current third approach</span>, we use chemical reaction to hydrolyze the conjugated sugars, to satisfy “No-release” policy if iGEM safety requirement.</h3> | ||
</blockquote></div> | </blockquote></div> | ||
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<div class="span4" ><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/3/32/T--UST_Beijing--ep14.png" alt=""></div> | <div class="span4" ><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/3/32/T--UST_Beijing--ep14.png" alt=""></div> | ||
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<div><h3>A synthetic beta-glucosidase gene is introduced into E.coli, along with PNPG as illustrated below. The enzyme (3D structure is displayed on the left) will make a yellow color product in the medium, which is measured by spectrometry.</h3></div> | <div><h3>A synthetic beta-glucosidase gene is introduced into E.coli, along with PNPG as illustrated below. The enzyme (3D structure is displayed on the left) will make a yellow color product in the medium, which is measured by spectrometry.</h3></div> | ||
<div class="span3"></div> | <div class="span3"></div> |
Revision as of 01:12, 14 October 2018