Team:British Columbia/Abstract

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<html><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Mt_Fraser_-_Pine_Beetle_Damage.JPG" height=180px>
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<html><h1>Abstract</h1></html>
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'''In nature, monoterpenes are synthesized and secreted by trees as a defense against invading beetles and fungi. The bluestain fungus and mountain pine beetle are in a symbiotic relationship where the fungus deactivates toxic terpenoids and enables the survival of the beetle, which in turn facilitates the spread of the fungus from tree to tree. Meanwhile, from an industrial point of view, various monoterpenes are involved in the production of pharmaceuticals, flavours/fragrances and biofuels. The 2011 UBC iGEM team aims to optimize production of terpenes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast by constructing the biosynthetic pathways necessary to synthesize these compounds. To simulate the system, we are developing models of (i) monoterpene synthase structure, (ii) monoterpene production in yeast and (iii) the dynamics of the mountain pine beetle populations in British Columbia under the influence of our synthetic yeast. A new human practices approach we have pursued this year involves interviewing experts across various fields to obtain their opinions on the release of synthetic organisms into the wild.
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<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Blue_stain_fungus_01.jpg" height=180px>
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<p><font size=1>From left to right: a view from Mount Fraser of dying pine trees turning red, a pine beetle, the effects of the bluestain fungus on a pine tree.</font></p>
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In nature, monoterpenes are synthesized and secreted by trees as a defense against invading beetles and fungi. In one case, the bluestain fungus and mountain pine beetle are in a symbiotic relationship where the fungus deactivates toxic terpenoids and enables the survival of the beetle, which in turn facilitates the spread of the fungus from tree to tree.  
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<p><font size=1>From left to right: terpenoids are commonly used in pharmaceutical, flavors & fragrances and biofuel industries, an example of yeast's industrial utility: beer-brewing.</font></p>
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Meanwhile, from an industrial point of view, various monoterpenes are involved in the production of pharmaceuticals, flavours/fragrances and biofuels.
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The 2011 UBC iGEM team aims to address both aspects by engineering yeast that produce monoterpenes with high yield at low cost, which may also help in the identification of anti-fungal monoterpenes. To do this, we will introduce genes that gear yeast metabolism toward optimal monoterpene production. We envision that further studies arising from this project may be utilized to find solutions to the pine beetle epidemic.
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Latest revision as of 21:51, 27 October 2011

Team: British Columbia - 2011.igem.org

Ubcigemabstractcomic3.jpg

Abstract

In nature, monoterpenes are synthesized and secreted by trees as a defense against invading beetles and fungi. The bluestain fungus and mountain pine beetle are in a symbiotic relationship where the fungus deactivates toxic terpenoids and enables the survival of the beetle, which in turn facilitates the spread of the fungus from tree to tree. Meanwhile, from an industrial point of view, various monoterpenes are involved in the production of pharmaceuticals, flavours/fragrances and biofuels. The 2011 UBC iGEM team aims to optimize production of terpenes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast by constructing the biosynthetic pathways necessary to synthesize these compounds. To simulate the system, we are developing models of (i) monoterpene synthase structure, (ii) monoterpene production in yeast and (iii) the dynamics of the mountain pine beetle populations in British Columbia under the influence of our synthetic yeast. A new human practices approach we have pursued this year involves interviewing experts across various fields to obtain their opinions on the release of synthetic organisms into the wild.

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