Team:Northwestern
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Product Description: Bacterial Skin
TENSE(?)
- Our main project is to simulate mammalian skin using chitin in E Coli. The process was realized by four major components: Lawn Formation, Chitin Synthesis, Bacterial Apoptosis, and lac-Operon Signaling.
- A thick bacterial lawn was generated by plating ydgG K.O. mutants (acquired from the Keio Collection) in an enriched agar plate. The protein product of ydgG plays an integral role in AI-2 Transport. Also, the ydgG knock-outs exhibit increased motility. Ultimately, these properties allowed for a thick and level lawn.
- Once the lawn was established, a lactose solution was sprayed over the lawn to induce chitin synthesis and apoptosis. Lactose is converted into allolactose which binds to the lacI repressor. Once bound, lacI detaches from DNA to allow RNA Polymerase to begin transcription.
- The 3.5kbp ChiA gene was extracted from the Saccharomyces Cerevisiae genome. Chitin Synthase - ChiA protein product - catalyzes the polymerization of chitin by transferring UDP-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine to an N(1,4 N-Acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl) to produce N+1(1,4 N-Acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl).
- Apoptosis of cells was achieved by using the bacteriophage lysis cassette by the Brown '08 iGEM Team. The cassette includes Holin, Endolysin, and Rz Protein genes. Combined, the enzymes puncture and degrade the cell membrane; thus lysing the cell.
SIGNIFICANCE:
Chitin itself can be used for:
wound and burn treatment hemostatic for orthopedic treatment of broken bones viscoelastic solutions for ophthamology and orthopedic surgery abdominal adhesions treatment as antibacterial and antifungal agents and for treatment of mucous membranes in tumor therapies in micro surgery, neurosurgery for treatment of chronic wounds, ulcers and bleeding (chitin powder)
(http://www.gmp-chitosan.com/en/products-services/chitin.html)
wound healing (CITATION NEEDED)
industrial: food/pharmaceutical thickener, stabilizer, paper-strengthener insoluble in water and many organic solvents etc agricultural, cosmetics, dietary supplement, water treatment (filter), etc derivatives such as chitosan have just as many uses biodegradable structural (hard) Contemporary application: Internalization and Compartmentalization - and thus sequestering - of particles such as oil
Side Project: Magnetite Production
Our side project is to synthesize superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles in E Coli.
Nano-manipulation of magnetite particles, which can lead to a plethora of advances, especially in research technology and biomedical technology.
Understanding and utilization of magnetotaxis and/or magnetoception in bacteria.
Possible production and use of ferrofluid, a paramagnetic or superparamagnetic fluid.
Ability to create uniform nanoparticles will further nanotechnology. (biotech is nanotech that works)
Northwestern University
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwestern_University Northwestern University]