Difference between revisions of "Team:DTU-Denmark"

 
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<h1> Building Mycotextures </h1>
 
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<p>The DTU biobuilders are looking forward to enter iGEM once again! This year, we are working to develop a toolbox so properties of fungi can be manipulated and exploited to build fungal materials.</p>
 
  
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<h3> Project Description </h3>
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<p>For millennia humans have known the value of fungi whether it be the yeast we cultivate for bread, beer and wine, or the mushrooms that serve both as a source of nutrition and natural medicinal compounds. However, the fungi we find on the forest floor are only the fruit of a much larger fungal organism, which stays unseen as a complex network of fungal mycelia that stretches far and wide underground.</p>
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<h1 style="font-size: 9vw;padding-bottom:20px;" id="frontheadline1">Fungal building materials for extreme environments</h1>
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<p>The use of mycelia in industrial fermentation processes is known to most biotechnologists, but in recent years it has expanded into other fields showing promising potential for being the foundation of a new generation of biomaterials.</p>  
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<h5 style="color:#fff;text-align: center;">Colonization of uninhabitable areas, like Mars, will require building materials to be transported to the site of deployment. Transport limitations such as space and weight make this process very expensive. Based on these challenges, we propose to make building materials from fungal mycelium to be grown on site. Our project is focused on how to optimize the material properties of the fungi through engineering of basic fungal characteristics. Our initial studies identified <i>Aspergillus oryzae</i> as the best candidate chassis for material properties and ease of genetic engineering. Based on our choice of fungus, we decided to increase the gene expression of melanin to improve <i>A. oryzae’s</i> capabilities of withstanding UV radiation and change the colors of the fungi by inserting a blue chromoprotein gene. Furthermore, we have designed a final geometric structure that can withstand external conditions and reduce the amount of work needed to assemble it.
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<p>Briefly summarised, composite fungal biomaterials are generally rapidly generated, renewable, biodegradable, naturally fire resistant, non-polluting and can be produced from the waste of other industries, be it spent grain from a brewery or discarded furniture from Ikea. For this reason, fungal biomaterials can come to play a significant role in fulfilling the demand for new sustainable materials. Frontrunner companies such as Ecovative and Mycoworks are currently exploring the potential use of fungal mycelia to make insulation materials, foams, fibreboards, bricks and even fungal leather.</p>
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<p>Being a living material, fungal mycelium is a self-growing, fibrous material that self-organizes into complex three-dimensional structures. Taking advantage of these properties, fungal-based composite materials can be constructed to achieve structural integrities that potentially are applicable in construction industries both here on earth or in space. </p>
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<p>Our project will focus on exploring how synthetic biology can advance the field of fungal biomaterials by targeting genes relevant to the morphology and physical properties of the mycelium. For one, we aim to promote the expression of chitin (what insects shells are made of) in the fungus Pleurotus ostreatus to make its mycelium stronger. Furthermore, due to interest from our collaborators at NASA, we also aim introduce the biosynthetic pathway for melanin such that we can produce UV-resistant biomaterials, which will be important in the context of extraterrestrial construction materials.</p>
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<h1 id="fronttheplan">The Plan</h1>
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<h2 class="front_phase_headline">PHASE ONE - Preparations on Earth</h2>
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<h5 class="media heading">We would begin by genetically optimizing a fungal species for the purpose of making construction materials.</h5>
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<h5  class="media heading">Vigorous testing and verification on the fungus would be performed on earth to ensure proper gene function and behavior before launch.</h5>
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<h5 class="media heading">Various simulations and models will play a crucial part in designing sustainable structures that can protect humans against the hostile Martian environment.</h5>
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<h5 class="media heading">The space shuttle would need to have the essentials for our fungus to be grown.
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<h5  class="media heading">Vials of spores from our GMO fungus would be prepared and a necessary means of  biomass, most likely cyanobacteria, will be included.
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<h5 class="media heading">Specific molds will let the fungus grow in a desired shape. Creating the pieces for the dome.
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<h5  class="media heading">General laboratory tools will have to be included to perform the needed work.</h5>
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<h5 class="media heading">Plate production will be established inside a provisional inflatable tent.
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<h5  class="media heading">Biomass and spores will be combined in easy-to-manage molds.
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<h5 class="media heading">Growth in a confined space will let the fungus conform into the desired shape.
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<h5  class="media heading">When the mold is appropriately filled, the fungus will be extracted and killed as preparation for the building process.</h5>
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<h2 class="front_phase_headline" >PHASE FOUR - Assembly</h2>
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<h5 class="media heading">The produced materials are assembled to create larger habitat structures. Domes will likely be used as these are best at distributing the forces of internal pressure.
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<h5  class="media heading">Given the high pressure difference between human habitats and the Martian atmosphere, the final structures will have to be sealed as to make the structure completely airtight.
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<h5 class="media heading">At this point, otherwise optimized fungal species can be used to synthesize a range of useful biochemicals and materials.
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<h5  class="media heading">The cyanobacteria used in the production of fungal materials can also be used to supply oxygen to the habitat.</h5>
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<h5 class="media heading">The first space race that led to the moon landing was hugely influenced by political currents, but the will to expand is a notion that dates back to the period after the era of imperialism.
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<h5  class="media heading">Many parallels from the moon landing can be drawn to the current race of getting the human race to Mars, where it can be concluded that getting there is inevitable.
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<h1 id="frontheadline2">Challenges</h1>
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<h5  style="color:#fff;text-align: center;"> Researching and optimizing a fungal species for the purpose of mycotecture.
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Designing easily deployable production facilities that can protect the cultivation systems from the Martian environment.
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We have not researched whether the structural properties depend on being on earth, eg. lower pressure compromising strength.
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The team received a bronze medal for their project
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<a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:DTU-Denmark">Home</a>
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<a href="https://2018.igem.org/Team:DTU-Denmark/Description">Project description</a>
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Latest revision as of 23:15, 6 December 2018

Fungal building materials for extreme environments

Colonization of uninhabitable areas, like Mars, will require building materials to be transported to the site of deployment. Transport limitations such as space and weight make this process very expensive. Based on these challenges, we propose to make building materials from fungal mycelium to be grown on site. Our project is focused on how to optimize the material properties of the fungi through engineering of basic fungal characteristics. Our initial studies identified Aspergillus oryzae as the best candidate chassis for material properties and ease of genetic engineering. Based on our choice of fungus, we decided to increase the gene expression of melanin to improve A. oryzae’s capabilities of withstanding UV radiation and change the colors of the fungi by inserting a blue chromoprotein gene. Furthermore, we have designed a final geometric structure that can withstand external conditions and reduce the amount of work needed to assemble it.

The Plan

PHASE ONE - Preparations on Earth

We would begin by genetically optimizing a fungal species for the purpose of making construction materials.
Vigorous testing and verification on the fungus would be performed on earth to ensure proper gene function and behavior before launch.
Various simulations and models will play a crucial part in designing sustainable structures that can protect humans against the hostile Martian environment.

PHASE TWO - Inventory

The space shuttle would need to have the essentials for our fungus to be grown.
Vials of spores from our GMO fungus would be prepared and a necessary means of biomass, most likely cyanobacteria, will be included.
Specific molds will let the fungus grow in a desired shape. Creating the pieces for the dome.
General laboratory tools will have to be included to perform the needed work.

PHASE THREE - Producing the Sheets

Plate production will be established inside a provisional inflatable tent.
Biomass and spores will be combined in easy-to-manage molds.
Growth in a confined space will let the fungus conform into the desired shape.
When the mold is appropriately filled, the fungus will be extracted and killed as preparation for the building process.

PHASE FOUR - Assembly

The produced materials are assembled to create larger habitat structures. Domes will likely be used as these are best at distributing the forces of internal pressure.
Given the high pressure difference between human habitats and the Martian atmosphere, the final structures will have to be sealed as to make the structure completely airtight.
At this point, otherwise optimized fungal species can be used to synthesize a range of useful biochemicals and materials.
The cyanobacteria used in the production of fungal materials can also be used to supply oxygen to the habitat.

Why do we want to land on Mars?

The first space race that led to the moon landing was hugely influenced by political currents, but the will to expand is a notion that dates back to the period after the era of imperialism.
Many parallels from the moon landing can be drawn to the current race of getting the human race to Mars, where it can be concluded that getting there is inevitable.

Challenges

Researching and optimizing a fungal species for the purpose of mycotecture.

Designing easily deployable production facilities that can protect the cultivation systems from the Martian environment.

We have not researched whether the structural properties depend on being on earth, eg. lower pressure compromising strength.



The team received a bronze medal for their project