Difference between revisions of "Team:Groningen"

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<h4> A plastic with high demand </h4>
 
<h4> A plastic with high demand </h4>
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<p>In 2016, 335 million tonnes of plastic were produced. The vast majority is derived from crude oil and take a lot of energy to refine and produce. This process has an enormous negative impact of the environment. </p>
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<p>The expected worldwide consumption of styrene, an important building block for many plastics,  is expected to increase to 41 million tons in 2020. The vast majority of styrene is currently derived from crude oil, which releases already fixated carbon back into the environment and costs energy to refine and produce. This has a negative impact on the environment.  
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<h4 align="right"> A better source </h4>
 
<h4 align="right"> A better source </h4>
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<p>Cellulose is an important component of many plants and algae and can therefore be found in the waste streams generated by agricultural and industrial processes. However, so far cellulose has been relatively difficult to biodegrade, preventing it from being used to its full potential. </p>
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<p>Cellulose is not only an important component of trees and therefore wood, but also of many plants and algae and can therefore be found in the waste streams generated by agricultural and industrial processes. So far cellulose has been relatively difficult to biodegrade, preventing it from being used to its full potential.</p>
 
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<h4> Where we come in </h4>
 
<h4> Where we come in </h4>
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<p>We aim to engineer a yeast strain that is able to take in cellulose, degrade this into glucose and finally produces styrene as an end product. The first step in our project is equipping our yeast strain with a protein complex that breaks down cellulose into glucose.</p>
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<p>We aim to engineer a yeast strain that is able to degrade cellulose into glucose and produces styrene as an end product. The first step in our project is equipping our yeast strain with a protein complex that breaks down cellulose into glucose.</p>
 
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<h4 align="right"> Sustainable production </h4>
 
<h4 align="right"> Sustainable production </h4>
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<p>The next step in our project concerns the production of styrene. For this we can mostly rely on an endogenous pathway. We will introduce the PAL2 enzyme from A. Thaliana which converts phenylalanine to trans-cinnamate which is finally converted by the cell to styrene. </p>
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<p>The next step in our project concerns the production of styrene. For this we can mostly rely on an endogenous pathway. We will introduce the PAL2 enzyme from A. Thaliana which converts phenylalanine to trans-cinnamate which is finally converted by the cell to styrene.  
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<h4> A brighter future</h4>
 
<h4> A brighter future</h4>
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<p>If our project succeeds we simultaneously would be able to lower the dependency on fossil fuels for styrene production and take the first few important steps towards the creation of a bio-based economy</p>
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<p>If our project succeeds we simultaneously would be able to lower the dependency on fossil fuels for styrene production and take the first important steps towards the creation of a bio-based economy
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Revision as of 16:12, 29 June 2018

A plastic with high demand

The expected worldwide consumption of styrene, an important building block for many plastics, is expected to increase to 41 million tons in 2020. The vast majority of styrene is currently derived from crude oil, which releases already fixated carbon back into the environment and costs energy to refine and produce. This has a negative impact on the environment.

A better source

Cellulose is not only an important component of trees and therefore wood, but also of many plants and algae and can therefore be found in the waste streams generated by agricultural and industrial processes. So far cellulose has been relatively difficult to biodegrade, preventing it from being used to its full potential.

Where we come in

We aim to engineer a yeast strain that is able to degrade cellulose into glucose and produces styrene as an end product. The first step in our project is equipping our yeast strain with a protein complex that breaks down cellulose into glucose.

Sustainable production

The next step in our project concerns the production of styrene. For this we can mostly rely on an endogenous pathway. We will introduce the PAL2 enzyme from A. Thaliana which converts phenylalanine to trans-cinnamate which is finally converted by the cell to styrene.

A brighter future

If our project succeeds we simultaneously would be able to lower the dependency on fossil fuels for styrene production and take the first important steps towards the creation of a bio-based economy