Difference between revisions of "Team:NUS Singapore-A"

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     <h1 id='Overview'>Project Overview</h1>
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     <h1 id='Overview'>Coup Dy'état: Eco-friendly Bio-manufacturing of Flavonoid Dyes in Escherichia coli via Computer-mediated Optogenetic Regulation</h1>
  
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     <p style="margin: 0 5%"> According to the World Bank, synthetic dyes are responsible for a fifth of all industrial water pollution. They are difficult to remove from the environment as they can withstand water, light, temperature, detergents, soaps, chemicals, bleach, and perspiration… yet these are the compounds used to dye most our clothes. Synthetic dyes may also undergo degradation, forming toxic and carcinogenic compounds. Natural dyes provide consumers a good alternative. However, they rely on unsustainable methods of extraction from plants and are often inconsistent in quality. We believe the solution lies in synthetic biology. This year, we aim to engineer E. coli to produce flavonoids. This will be a much more sustainable method of producing natural dye as compared to current methods. Every batch of our flavonoids could be made high in purity and bold in colour - the exact same colour as the batch before it, and all the batches that will come after. Moreover, we will use resources on a far smaller scale than any natural dye because we do not need large amount of land to grow the plants. Microbial production of natural dyes is a promising field that could potentially revolutionise the natural dye industry. However, to date, such efforts are mostly focused on indigo (blue) production. We hope to offer this industry, which also includes designers, access to all three primary colours by producing red and yellow natural dyes, so that by mixing, we can finally complete the rainbow. It is our dream that our system can see widespread adoption by dye-manufacturing industries, to finally produce quality natural dyes sustainably.  
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     <p style="margin: 0 5%"> Synthetic clothing dyes are a major source of water pollution. Natural dyes are more beneficial to the environment, but production is land-intensive and low-yield. To increase the viability of natural dyes as an alternative to synthetic dyes, we developed a novel, eco-friendly method for the biomanufacturing of a natural flavonoid dye, luteolin, in E. coli. We performed mutagenesis for more efficient xylose metabolization, allowing us to use lignocellulosic waste as feedstock. Also, we designed an automated closed-loop cell-computer interface to enhance production through dynamic regulation and stress regulation. The system obtains feedback from an optical density sensor and a stress-sensing fluorescent reporter. As we control gene expression with a blue light repressible promoter, blue LEDs activate and deactivate accordingly to maintain an optimal rate of production, eliminating the need for chemical inducers. We envision that our system has great potential for finer control and optimization as more functions are incorporated.  
 
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Revision as of 21:15, 12 September 2018

CONNECT WITH US

Coup Dy'état: Eco-friendly Bio-manufacturing of Flavonoid Dyes in Escherichia coli via Computer-mediated Optogenetic Regulation

Synthetic clothing dyes are a major source of water pollution. Natural dyes are more beneficial to the environment, but production is land-intensive and low-yield. To increase the viability of natural dyes as an alternative to synthetic dyes, we developed a novel, eco-friendly method for the biomanufacturing of a natural flavonoid dye, luteolin, in E. coli. We performed mutagenesis for more efficient xylose metabolization, allowing us to use lignocellulosic waste as feedstock. Also, we designed an automated closed-loop cell-computer interface to enhance production through dynamic regulation and stress regulation. The system obtains feedback from an optical density sensor and a stress-sensing fluorescent reporter. As we control gene expression with a blue light repressible promoter, blue LEDs activate and deactivate accordingly to maintain an optimal rate of production, eliminating the need for chemical inducers. We envision that our system has great potential for finer control and optimization as more functions are incorporated.



HEAR OUR STORY

We’re using synthetic biology to change the way the world thinks and functions.

We’re a little disruptive, dangerous and maybe a tad too bold. But the world needs some shaking up every now and then, and we think we’re just the right people for that.

Together we’re going to engineer biology and create something awesome.

CONTACT US

nusigem@gmail.com

21 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore 119077