Difference between revisions of "Team:British Columbia"
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| − | <h2><strong>Harnessing microbial teamwork to degrade and valorize | + | <h2><strong>Harnessing microbial teamwork to degrade and valorize biomass</strong></h2> |
<p>Development of modern biorefining processes is required to reduce our reliance on petroleum-derived chemicals and fuels. One solution has been to use microbial catalysts to transform renewable biomass into bio-equivalent chemicals.</p> | <p>Development of modern biorefining processes is required to reduce our reliance on petroleum-derived chemicals and fuels. One solution has been to use microbial catalysts to transform renewable biomass into bio-equivalent chemicals.</p> | ||
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/f/fc/T--British_Columbia--front_1.PNG" style="float: left; left: -5px" class="img-responsive"> | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/f/fc/T--British_Columbia--front_1.PNG" style="float: left; left: -5px" class="img-responsive"> | ||
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<h1 style="text-align: center"><big>Crescentium</big></h1> | <h1 style="text-align: center"><big>Crescentium</big></h1> | ||
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/8/81/T--British_Columbia--front_3.PNG" class="img-responsive"> | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/8/81/T--British_Columbia--front_3.PNG" class="img-responsive"> | ||
| − | <p style="text-align: center">A “divide and conquer” approach to split the tasks of biomass degradation and valorization between two | + | <p style="text-align: center">A “divide and conquer” approach to split the tasks of biomass degradation and valorization between two microbial species, <i>Caulobacter crescentus</i> and <i>Escherichia coli</i>.</p> |
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<div><!--#middle-row--> | <div><!--#middle-row--> | ||
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<h3><strong>The Bacterial Community</strong></h3> | <h3><strong>The Bacterial Community</strong></h3> | ||
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/2/25/T--British_Columbia--front_4-2.PNG" class="img-responsive" | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/2/25/T--British_Columbia--front_4-2.PNG" class="img-responsive" | ||
| − | style="float: left; max-width: 66%"><figcaption><strong>Caulobacter crescentus:</strong> The subject of novel research at the University of British Columbia | + | style="float: left; max-width: 66%"><figcaption><strong>Caulobacter crescentus:</strong> The subject of novel research at the University of British Columbia, the robust surface expression system in the bacterium <i>C. crescentus</i> can be engineered to display biomass-transforming enzymes.</figcaption> |
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/0/09/T--British_Columbia--front_2-flipped.PNG" class="img-responsive" | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/0/09/T--British_Columbia--front_2-flipped.PNG" class="img-responsive" | ||
style="float: right; max-width: 33%"> | style="float: right; max-width: 33%"> | ||
| − | <figcaption><strong>Escherichia coli:</strong> | + | <figcaption><strong>Escherichia coli:</strong> A well-developed industrial workhorse, <i>E. coli</i> serves as a perfect host for many engineered biosynthetic pathways that transform glucose into valuable products.</figcaption> |
</div> | </div> | ||
<div><!--#bacterial-community--> | <div><!--#bacterial-community--> | ||
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<div class="col-sm-12"> | <div class="col-sm-12"> | ||
<h3><strong>The Transformation Process</strong></h3> | <h3><strong>The Transformation Process</strong></h3> | ||
| − | <p><i>C. crecentus</i> | + | <p>When combined, we can harness the power of “microbial teamwork” to degrade and valorize biomass. <i>C. crecentus</i> surface-expressed cellulases cleave parts of lignocellulose to release glucose in to the system. <i>E. coli</i> consumes glucose and using engineered biosynthetic pathways, converts it into valued chemicals.</p> |
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/3/3a/T--British_Columbia--front_5.PNG" class="img-responsive" | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/3/3a/T--British_Columbia--front_5.PNG" class="img-responsive" | ||
style="max-width: 80%"></div> | style="max-width: 80%"></div> | ||
Revision as of 00:16, 18 October 2016
Harnessing microbial teamwork to degrade and valorize biomass
Development of modern biorefining processes is required to reduce our reliance on petroleum-derived chemicals and fuels. One solution has been to use microbial catalysts to transform renewable biomass into bio-equivalent chemicals.
However, a major obstacle to implementing inductrial-scale bioprocesses is the high cost of processing raw biomass into a usable form. Plant biomass, called lignocellulose, is an abundant and extremely strong polymer that has evolved to resist degradation. Inefficiencies with product yield are inevitably incurred as a consequence of the metabolic strain experienced by single microbial strains that comprise most modern bioprocessing systems.
This year, our team aimed to make the processing and utilization of renewable biomass feedstocks cheaper and more efficient by building a microbial community able to transform biomass into useful products.
Crescentium
A “divide and conquer” approach to split the tasks of biomass degradation and valorization between two microbial species, Caulobacter crescentus and Escherichia coli.
The Bacterial Community
The Transformation Process
When combined, we can harness the power of “microbial teamwork” to degrade and valorize biomass. C. crecentus surface-expressed cellulases cleave parts of lignocellulose to release glucose in to the system. E. coli consumes glucose and using engineered biosynthetic pathways, converts it into valued chemicals.
