Difference between revisions of "Team:Dalhousie Halifax NS/Results"
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| − | <h3>Bacterial Inhibition with Terpenes</h3> | + | <h3>Bacterial Inhibition with Terpenes:</h3> |
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| + | <h3>How?</h3> | ||
| + | <p>This year we had a bit of time to perfect the metagenomic library protocol. With this new protocol we believe that we will be able to build the metagenomic library using DNA Extracted from porcupine fecal sample and transforming that library into E. coli. We should be able to screen this library for cellulose degrading enzymes as well as terpene degrading enzymes that could prove useful in our search for new biofuel feedstocks and production solutions</p> | ||
| + | <h3>Why?</h3> | ||
| + | <p>We have been able to provide evidence that a metagenomic library from DNA extracted from porcupine fecal samples would provide us with a new source of cellulose degrading enzymes. The next step would be to actually attempt the metagenomic library and search for the enzymes we have been able to identify bioinformatically.</p> | ||
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Revision as of 10:39, 13 October 2016
Results
This year we managed to isolate a few cellulose degrading bacteria and identify them. We also did an extensive proof of concept for our plan to use microbiomes as a "mine" for enzymes and gathered evidence that it would, likely, enable us to identify genes that encode cellulose degrading enzymes. We showed that growth of an E. coli strain used to degrade soft-wood lumber waste would not be inhibited by the anti-microbial properties of terpenes found in trees milled for softwood lumber. We also created a couple of new biobricks containing enzymes that we identified bioinformatically from Ruminiclostridium thermocellum, a cellulose degrader identified in the porcupine microbiome. Next year we intend to move forward with the metagenomic library and isolate more enzymes that would be useful for converting soft-wood lumber waste to a source of efficient fuel (ethanol) or be useful for bioremediation.
Our Results
DNA Sequencing and Bacterial Isolation
Bacterial Isolation:
Colony PCR:
The colony PCR that was done with the cellulose-degrading colonies can be seen on the gel to the left. A 1kb ladder can also be seen on this image. Most of the PCR reactions were successful here, so the DNA was quantified used the geldoc and was purified with ExoSapIt before being sent to GeneWiz for sequencing.
High-Throughput Sequencing:
Chemical Analysis
Distillation:
Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry:
Bacterial Inhibition with Terpenes:
For the Future
Metagenomic Library
How?
This year we had a bit of time to perfect the metagenomic library protocol. With this new protocol we believe that we will be able to build the metagenomic library using DNA Extracted from porcupine fecal sample and transforming that library into E. coli. We should be able to screen this library for cellulose degrading enzymes as well as terpene degrading enzymes that could prove useful in our search for new biofuel feedstocks and production solutions
Why?
We have been able to provide evidence that a metagenomic library from DNA extracted from porcupine fecal samples would provide us with a new source of cellulose degrading enzymes. The next step would be to actually attempt the metagenomic library and search for the enzymes we have been able to identify bioinformatically.
