Difference between revisions of "Team:Makerere University"

 
(84 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
<html>
 
<html>
 +
 
<head>
 
<head>
−
<title>Project description</title>
+
 
 +
<title>Home page Wiki</title>
 +
 
 
</head>
 
</head>
  
 
<body>
 
<body>
  
−
<div id="banner">
 
  
−
<div id="logo"></div>
+
<ul id="listlinks" >
 +
 
 +
<li><a class="active" href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University" >HOME</a></li>
 +
 
 +
 
 +
<li><a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/team" >TEAM</a></li>
  
−
<div id="mainlinks">
 
−
<ul>
 
  
−
<li><a href="home.html">Home</a></li>
+
<li><a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/collaborations">COLLABORATIONS</a></li>
  
−
<li><a class="active" href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/Description" >Project
 
  
 +
<li><a  href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/notebook">NOTEBOOK > </a>
 
<ul class="submenus">
 
<ul class="submenus">
  
−
<li><a class="active" href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/Description">description</a></li>
+
<li><a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/notebook">Lab Notebook</a></li>
−
<li><a href="design.html">design</a></li>
+
<li><a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/protocols">Protocols</a></li>
−
<li><a href="notebook.html">notebook</a></li>
+
<li><a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/lab results">Results</a></li>
−
<li><a href="results.html">results</a></li></a>
+
−
 
+
  
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 +
  
 
</li>
 
</li>
  
−
<li><a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/members.html" >Team
+
<li><a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/humanpractices">HUMAN PRACTICES</a></li>
 +
 
 +
<li><a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/attributes">ATTRIBUTIONS</a></li>
 +
 
 +
<li><a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/parts">PARTS</a></li>
 +
 
 +
<li><a href="#">AWARDS  >  </a>
 
<ul class="submenus">
 
<ul class="submenus">
−
<li><a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/members.html" >Team members</a></li>
+
<li><a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/medalcriteria">MEDAL CRITERIA</a></li
−
<li><a href="collaborations.html" >Team collaborations</a></li></a>
+
<li><a href="https://igem.org/2018_Judging_Form?id=2714">JUDGING FORM</a></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 
</li>
 
</li>
  
−
<li><a href="parts.html" >Parts</a></li>
+
<li><a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:Makerere_University/safetyform">SAFETY FORM</a></li>
−
<li><a href="safety.html" >Safety</a></li>
+
−
<li><a href="human practices.html" >Humanpractices</a></li>
+
−
<li><a href="interlab study.html">Interlab study</a></li>
+
  
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
<div id="pagebanner" >
 +
<div id="logo" ></div>
 +
 
</div>
 
</div>
 +
<br>
 +
<hr>
 +
<h1>ABSTRACT AND PROJECT DESCRIPTION</h1>
  
−
</div>
+
<div id="pagecontent">
 +
 
 +
 
 +
<h1>ABSTRACT</h1>
 +
Plastics are a waste product that pollutes the environment we live in and many resolutions have
 +
been implemented with little long term success. Researchers found a gram-stain-negative,
 +
aerobic, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium in 2014, known as Ideonella Sakaiensis strain
 +
201-F6 that is able to degrade Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics which is a condensation
 +
polymer used in plastic that is highly resistant to biodegradation. It is industrially produced by
 +
either terephthalic acid or dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol. Ideonella sakaiensis 201-
 +
F6, is able to use PET as its major energy and carbon source using two enzymes capable of
 +
hydrolyzing PET and the reaction intermediate, mono(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalic acid. “Both
 +
enzymes are required to enzymatically convert PET efficiently into its two environmentally
 +
benign monomers terephthalic and ethylene glycol.”
 +
<br>
 +
<h2>Problem Statement.</h2><br>
 +
<img src= "https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/8/8f/T--Makerere_University--plastics.jpg">
 +
<br>
 +
As you can see in the above picture ,it is estimated that 600 tonnes of plastics are disposed off in Uganda and in Kampala city particularly, vast
 +
chunks of plastics wastes are littered all over the city, clogging the sewage system and contaminating water bodies as seen below.
 +
<br>
 +
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/5/5f/T--Makerere_University--waterplastic.jpg">
 +
<br>
 +
According to
 +
the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA)
 +
about 51% of the plastic garbage in the city is left uncollected and ends up in the drainage
 +
system/channels, wetlands, natural water courses, manholes, undeveloped plots and on roadside,
 +
according to NEMA. Plastic wastes endangers human life, animals and environmental if not well
 +
controlled and disposed of in a proper way. Pollution of plastics is less visible and therefore our
 +
policy makers do not see it a priority yet it is a silent killer. Plastics takes approximately 450
 +
years to completely decompose. Additionally, toxins from decomposed plastics are introduced
 +
into ecological systems that humans often manipulate for food.
 +
A robust sensitization program is needed to make the population aware of the dangers associated
 +
with plastic waste such as lung cancer.
 +
<br>
 +
<h2>Purpose of the project.</h2>
 +
Inspired by bacteria with an unprecedented ability, Ideonella sakaiensis, that naturally
 +
decomposes polyethylene terephthalate, we have decided to genetically modify E. coli cells to
 +
model the plastic degradation machine; we shall do so by adding the Lipase and Chlorogenate
 +
Esterase genes from Ideonella sakaiensis into E. coli bacterial cells.
 +
With the engineered E. coli bacteria, the enzymes introduced are able to express the plastic degrading abilities. This particular proposition can realistically be executed because of the
 +
minimal effort and financial advantage it presents.
 +
<br>
 +
<h1>Project description</h1>
 +
  <h2> background</h2>
 +
  <p>Since 1964, plastics production has increased 20-fold, reaching 311 million tonnes in 2014, the equivalent of more than 900 Empire State Buildings. Plastics production is expected to double again in 20 years and almost quadruple by 2050.
 +
Plastics have been intensively developed during the last 50 years</p>
 +
</br>
 +
<p> Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is one of the most widely used plastic worldwide. However, the durability of PET results in its difficulty to be degraded which leads to a global accumulation of plastic waste.
 +
 
 +
Many solutions have been brought up in dealing with the plastic waste. Compared to the traditional chemical recycling processes, enzymatic hydrolysis of PET is presently evaluated as an environmentally friendly strategy for recycling post-consumer PET wastes. And during the last 15 years, many natural enzymes extracted from microorganisms have been found to be capable of decomposing PET.
 +
</br>
 +
</br>
 +
In recent decades, many labs around the world have proposed a variety of ways to degrade PET biologically. The most inspiring one is the biodegradation ability of a recently found bacterial, called Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6, by Shosuke Yoshida and his colleagues from Japan, which has been studied and published in Science this March
  
−
<div id="content">
+
. They analyzed the degrading pathways and isolated two kinds of enzymes, PETase and MHETase. The PETase degrades PET into MHET (mono(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalic acid) and MHETase degrades MHET into TPA (terephthalic acid) and EG (ethylene glycol).
−
<h1 style="text-align:center; color:white;">PLASTIC DEGRADATION</h1>
+
</p>
−
<hr>
+
<h3> Our project</h3>
−
<div id="images">
+
<p>The project is set up to utilize the enzymatic machinery from the bacterium <b><i>Ideonella sakaiensis</i></b> as it is capable of manufacturing the enzymes of <i>PETase</i> and <i>MHETase</i> which are important in the degradation of PET. <br>
 +
Isolated segments of the genes for the respective enzymes are transformed into the a competent <i>E. coli</i> cell so that it also obtains the plastic degrading character as in <i>Ideonella</i>.
 +
<br>
 +
<br>
 +
<i>Ideonella sakaiensis</i> is a bacteria that naturally decomposes polyethylene terephthalate, we decide to genetically modify E. coli cells to model the plastic degradation machine by adding the Lipase and Chlorogenate Esterase genes from Ideonella sakaiensis into E. coli bacterial cells. We shall obtain the two genes encoding the enzymes used by Ideonella sakaiensis, PETase and MHETase, and insert the gene into E. coli plasmids and then put the plasmids into E. coli cells. With the engineered E.coli bacteria, the enzymes produced are able to express the plastic-degrading abilities
 +
<br>
 +
<br>
 +
<b>Goal:</b> To have a clean and safe environment free of plastic pollution.
 +
<br>
 +
<br>
 +
<b>Objectives.</b>
 +
<ol>
 +
<li>To engineer a bacteria capable of degrading PET plastics.</li>
 +
<li>To sensitize the community about the danger associated with plastic wastes.</li>
 +
</ol>
 +
 
 +
</p>
 +
<br>
 
</div>
 
</div>
−
<p>Our project is to address the hazardous effects of poor plastic waste disposal in Africa. Plastic in Africa is majorly in the form PET modelled in the form of bottles, containers and even polythene making them one of the most commonly used house hold materials. However, after they have served their use they are disposed off most commonly by throwing them away or by burning them(combustion).<br>
+
 
−
Either of these ways are not environmentally friendly since the plastic can contaminate animal feed and possibly poison them or through combustion can enhance on the known threat of global warming.This would have a great impact on the nutrition and also influence agricultural production. <br>With the knowledge of synthetic biology plastic waste can be degraded and even produce useful products after its degradation. </p>
+
 
 +
<div id="pagefooter">
 +
 
 +
<h1>Sponsors</h1>
 +
 
 +
<img id="mak" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/a/a2/T--Makerere_University--Mak_logo_dd.jpg">
 +
<img id="twist" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/3/3f/T--Makerere_University--Twist-Bioscience.png">
 +
<img id="promega" src= "https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/3/30/T--Makerere_University--promega.gif">
 +
<img id="idt" src= "https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/b/b7/T--Makerere_University--IDTmak.jpg">
 +
<img id="opentrons" src= "https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/b/b1/T--Makerere_University--opentrons.jpg">
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
−
<style>
 
  
 +
 +
<style>
 +
#top_title{
 +
display:none;
 +
}
 
#content{
 
#content{
−
margin: 0;
+
width:100%;
−
padding: 0;
+
margin:0;
 +
padding:0;
 
background:url("https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/7/7f/T--makerere_university--abstract-1869996_1920.jpg");
 
background:url("https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/7/7f/T--makerere_university--abstract-1869996_1920.jpg");
 +
}
 +
body{
 +
margin:0;
 +
padding:0;
 +
//background:url("https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/7/7f/T--makerere_university--abstract-1869996_1920.jpg");
 
width:100%;
 
width:100%;
−
color:white;
 
 
}
 
}
−
#banner{
+
#listlinks{
−
 
+
−
background:url("https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/b/bc/T--makerere_university--banner.jpg");
+
−
 
+
−
//background-size:cover;
+
 
width:100%;
 
width:100%;
 +
padding:0;
 +
margin:0;
 +
background:teal;
  
−
height:320px;
+
}
  
−
position: relative;
 
  
 +
#listlinks li{
 +
position:relative;
 +
list-style:none;
 +
width:auto;
 +
font-size: 15px;
 +
display:inline-block;
 +
padding-left:15px;
 +
margin-top:10px;
 +
margin-bottom:10px;
 
}
 
}
−
#logo{
 
  
−
float:right;
+
#listlinks li a{
−
background:url("https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/a/ae/T--makerere_university--Igem_logo.jpg");
+
display:block;
−
background-size: cover;
+
text-decoration:none;
−
width:150px;
+
background: green;
−
 
+
color: white;
−
height:150px;
+
 
}
 
}
  
−
#mainlinks{
+
 
−
margin:0;
+
#listlinks li a:hover{
−
padding:0;
+
color: yellow;
−
background:transparent;
+
−
width:200px;
+
−
height:350px;
+
 
}
 
}
−
#mainlinks ul{
+
#listlinks li a.active{
−
text-align:center;
+
background: lightblue;
−
margin:0;
+
−
padding:0;
+
−
width:200px;
+
 
}
 
}
−
#mainlinks ul li{
+
#listlinks li .submenus{
−
text-align:center;
+
display:none;
−
border:1px solid white;
+
position:absolute;
−
margin-top: 2px;
+
margin-left:-10px;
 +
background:teal;
 +
padding:1px;
 +
top: 20px;
 +
z-index:1;
 +
}
 +
.submenus li a{
 +
margin-top: -15px;
 +
padding-top: -20px;
 
}
 
}
−
#mainlinks ul li a
+
#listlinks li:hover .submenus{
−
{
+
−
text-decoration:none;
+
 
display:block;
 
display:block;
 
}
 
}
−
#mainlinks ul li a:hover{
+
 
−
color:red;
+
#pagebanner{
 +
position:relative;
 +
width:100%;
 +
height: 500px;
 +
background: url("https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/1/11/T--Makerere_University--Makerere_University.jpg");
 +
background-size:cover;
 
}
 
}
  
−
.submenus
+
#pagecontent{
−
{
+
margin:0 5% 0 5%;
−
display:none;
+
font-size:25px;
 +
background:transparent;
 +
line-height: 2;
 +
color:white;
 
}
 
}
−
#mainlinks ul li:hover{
+
#pagecontent p{
−
background: white;
+
font-size:25px;
 
}
 
}
 +
#logo{
 +
position:absolute;
 +
margin :0;
 +
width:150px;
 +
height:150px;
 +
background:url("https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/a/ae/T--makerere_university--Igem_logo.jpg");
 +
background-size:cover;
 +
border-radius:50%;
 +
}
  
−
#mainlinks ul li:hover .submenus
+
#pagefooter{
−
{
+
position:relative;
−
display:block;
+
width:100%;
−
background: grey;
+
height:300px;
−
}
+
background:#262626;
−
+
color: yellow;
−
ul li{
+
}
−
margin:0;
+
 
−
padding:0;
+
h1 ,h2, h3{
−
list-style:none;
+
color:white;
 
text-align:center;
 
text-align:center;
 +
}
 +
 +
#mak{
 +
position:absolute;
 +
top:50px;
 +
width: 100px;
 +
height: 100px;
 +
}
 +
#idt{
 +
position:absolute;
 +
left: 0px;
 +
top:160px;
 +
}
 +
#opentrons{
 +
position:absolute;
 +
width:200px;
 +
height:100px;
 +
left: 1100px;
 +
top:15px;
 +
}
 +
#promega{
 +
position:absolute;
 +
left:1100px;
 +
top:150px;
 +
width:150px;
 +
height:150px;
 +
}
 +
#twist{
 +
position:absolute;
 +
left:500px;
 +
top:50px;
 
}
 
}
  
 
</style>
 
</style>
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/6/67/T--makerere_university--bottles-conta...t-802221.jpg" style="width:600px;height:400px;"><p>PET bottles are dumped everywhere in our communities,and the government is tirelessly working to reduce the accumulation which may hinder public health</p>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
  <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/2/2f/T--makerere_university--plastics_dump_image.jpg" style="width:600px;height:400px;">
 
−
  <p style="font-size:205%;">Plastics dumped near water systems utilised by the community, which unneccesarily has become a custom that people are unbothered by the threats plastic accumulation can have on there health and livelihood. </p>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
−
</br>
 
  
−
<span>Bwaise, Kampala. Uganda</span>.    <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/f/f2/T--makerere_university--images.png"style="width:300px;height:100px">
 
 
</body>
 
</body>
 +
 
</html>
 
</html>

Latest revision as of 16:38, 16 October 2018

Home page Wiki


ABSTRACT AND PROJECT DESCRIPTION

ABSTRACT

Plastics are a waste product that pollutes the environment we live in and many resolutions have been implemented with little long term success. Researchers found a gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium in 2014, known as Ideonella Sakaiensis strain 201-F6 that is able to degrade Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics which is a condensation polymer used in plastic that is highly resistant to biodegradation. It is industrially produced by either terephthalic acid or dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol. Ideonella sakaiensis 201- F6, is able to use PET as its major energy and carbon source using two enzymes capable of hydrolyzing PET and the reaction intermediate, mono(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalic acid. “Both enzymes are required to enzymatically convert PET efficiently into its two environmentally benign monomers terephthalic and ethylene glycol.”

Problem Statement.



As you can see in the above picture ,it is estimated that 600 tonnes of plastics are disposed off in Uganda and in Kampala city particularly, vast chunks of plastics wastes are littered all over the city, clogging the sewage system and contaminating water bodies as seen below.

According to the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) about 51% of the plastic garbage in the city is left uncollected and ends up in the drainage system/channels, wetlands, natural water courses, manholes, undeveloped plots and on roadside, according to NEMA. Plastic wastes endangers human life, animals and environmental if not well controlled and disposed of in a proper way. Pollution of plastics is less visible and therefore our policy makers do not see it a priority yet it is a silent killer. Plastics takes approximately 450 years to completely decompose. Additionally, toxins from decomposed plastics are introduced into ecological systems that humans often manipulate for food. A robust sensitization program is needed to make the population aware of the dangers associated with plastic waste such as lung cancer.

Purpose of the project.

Inspired by bacteria with an unprecedented ability, Ideonella sakaiensis, that naturally decomposes polyethylene terephthalate, we have decided to genetically modify E. coli cells to model the plastic degradation machine; we shall do so by adding the Lipase and Chlorogenate Esterase genes from Ideonella sakaiensis into E. coli bacterial cells. With the engineered E. coli bacteria, the enzymes introduced are able to express the plastic degrading abilities. This particular proposition can realistically be executed because of the minimal effort and financial advantage it presents.

Project description

background

Since 1964, plastics production has increased 20-fold, reaching 311 million tonnes in 2014, the equivalent of more than 900 Empire State Buildings. Plastics production is expected to double again in 20 years and almost quadruple by 2050. Plastics have been intensively developed during the last 50 years


Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is one of the most widely used plastic worldwide. However, the durability of PET results in its difficulty to be degraded which leads to a global accumulation of plastic waste. Many solutions have been brought up in dealing with the plastic waste. Compared to the traditional chemical recycling processes, enzymatic hydrolysis of PET is presently evaluated as an environmentally friendly strategy for recycling post-consumer PET wastes. And during the last 15 years, many natural enzymes extracted from microorganisms have been found to be capable of decomposing PET.

In recent decades, many labs around the world have proposed a variety of ways to degrade PET biologically. The most inspiring one is the biodegradation ability of a recently found bacterial, called Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6, by Shosuke Yoshida and his colleagues from Japan, which has been studied and published in Science this March . They analyzed the degrading pathways and isolated two kinds of enzymes, PETase and MHETase. The PETase degrades PET into MHET (mono(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalic acid) and MHETase degrades MHET into TPA (terephthalic acid) and EG (ethylene glycol).

Our project

The project is set up to utilize the enzymatic machinery from the bacterium Ideonella sakaiensis as it is capable of manufacturing the enzymes of PETase and MHETase which are important in the degradation of PET.
Isolated segments of the genes for the respective enzymes are transformed into the a competent E. coli cell so that it also obtains the plastic degrading character as in Ideonella.

Ideonella sakaiensis is a bacteria that naturally decomposes polyethylene terephthalate, we decide to genetically modify E. coli cells to model the plastic degradation machine by adding the Lipase and Chlorogenate Esterase genes from Ideonella sakaiensis into E. coli bacterial cells. We shall obtain the two genes encoding the enzymes used by Ideonella sakaiensis, PETase and MHETase, and insert the gene into E. coli plasmids and then put the plasmids into E. coli cells. With the engineered E.coli bacteria, the enzymes produced are able to express the plastic-degrading abilities

Goal: To have a clean and safe environment free of plastic pollution.

Objectives.

  1. To engineer a bacteria capable of degrading PET plastics.
  2. To sensitize the community about the danger associated with plastic wastes.