Team:Tokyo Tech/Projects/making-rain/index.htm

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Project
Project
<ul>
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<li><a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Projects/RPS-game/index.htm">RPS-game</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Projects/RPS-game/index.htm">RPS-Game</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Projects/making-rain/index.htm">rain</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Projects/making-rain/index.htm">Make it Rain</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Projects/Urea-cooler/index.htm">urea cooler</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Projects/Urea-cooler/index.htm">Urea Coolers</a></li>
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Modeling
Modeling
<ul>
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<li><a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Modeling/RPS-game/RPS-game">RPS-game</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Modeling/RPS-game/RPS-game">RPS-Game</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Modeling/Urea-cooler/urea-cooler">Urea Coolers</a></li>
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More
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<ul>
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<li><a href="#intro">1.Introduction</a></li>
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<li><a href="#intro">1. Introduction</a></li>
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<li><a href="#Res">2.Results</a></li>
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<li><a href="#Res">2. Isoprene by <span class="name">E.coli</span></a></li>
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                 <li><a href="#rain">3. Discussion</a></li>
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/e/e8/TokyoTech_rain_Illust1.png" alt="Illust" style="float:right;" width="200px">
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/e/e8/TokyoTech_rain_Illust1.png" alt="Illust" style="float:right;" width="200px" />
Playing RPS with <span class="name">E. coli</span> during summer was fun, but,  
Playing RPS with <span class="name">E. coli</span> during summer was fun, but,  
even if humans won, celebrations did not last long  
even if humans won, celebrations did not last long  
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<h2 id="intro" style="clear:both;">1. Introduction</h2>
<h2 id="intro" style="clear:both;">1. Introduction</h2>
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To make it rain we focus on the substance isoprene.  
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To make it rain we focus on the substance isoprene. It has been observed that trees in tropical rainforests contribute to the formation of photo-smog aerosol in the lower atmosphere by releasing isoprene (Paulson and Seinfeld, 1992). The photo-oxidized isoprene acts as a condensation nucleus [3], may cause shower (make it rain) even if it is present in very low concentrations.  
+
It has been observed that trees in tropical rainforests  
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contribute to the formation of photo-smog aerosol in  
 +
the lower atmosphere by releasing isoprene (Paulson and Seinfeld, 1992).  
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The photo-oxidized isoprene acts as a condensation  
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nucleus [2], may cause rain even  
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if it is present in very low concentrations.  
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/2/2f/TokyoTech_rain_fig1.png"  alt="Fig.1"  style="float:none;" width="800px" />
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/7/7c/Reaction-of-isoprene.png"  alt="Fig.1"  style="float:none;" width="800px" />
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Fig. 1 Isoprene photo-oxidation reaction
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Fig1. Isoprene photo-oxidation reaction
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It is known that the enzyme isoprene synthase can catalyze the conversion of dimethylallyl diphosphate(DMAPP) to isoprene. DMAPP is normally synthesized by <span class="name">E. coli</span>, so the only thing we need to make our bacteria synthetize isoprene is isoprene synthase. The isoprene synthase coding gene (<span class="gene">ispS</span>) has isolated from the tree poplar (Barbara Miller <i>et al</i>, 2001). <span class="name">E. coli</span> introduce this gene released isoprene into the air by diffusion [1]  
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It is known that the enzyme isoprene synthase can catalyze  
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the conversion of dimethylallyl diphosphate(DMAPP) to  
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isoprene. DMAPP is normally synthesized by  
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<span class="name">E. coli</span>, so the only thing we need  
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/c/cd/TokyoTech_rain_fig2.png" alt="Fig.3" />
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to make our bacteria synthetize isoprene is isoprene synthase.  
 +
The isoprene synthase coding gene (<span class="gene">ispS</span>)  
 +
is isolated from the tree poplar (Barbara Miller <i>et al</i>., 2001).  
 +
<span class="name">E. coli</span> introduced this gene  
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released isoprene into the air by diffusion [1]  
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</p>
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/c/cd/TokyoTech_rain_fig2.png" width="658px" alt="Fig.3" />
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<div class="graph_title">
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Fig2. Formation of isoprene is catalyzed by isoprene synthase
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Fig. 2 Formation of isoprene is catalyzed by isoprene synthase
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In this study, we tried to make <span class="name>E. coli</span> synthetize isoprene by the isoprene synthase on the standardized plasmid. Moreover we calculate that <span class="name">E. coli</span> could produce isoprene more effectively and faster than the trees in the tropical rainforests. It means that the amount of isoprene produced by our <span class="name">E. coli</span> is enough to form the secondary organic aerosols and make it rain.
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In this study, we made <span class="name">E. coli</span>  
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synthesize isoprene by introducing <span class="gene">ispS</span>.
</p>
</p>
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<h2 id="Res">2. Isoprene by <span class="name">E. coli</span></h2>
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<h1 id="Res">2. Results</h1>
 
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<p>
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To measure the amount of isoprene produced by <span class="name">E. coli</span> with the introduction of <span class="gene">ispS</span>, we constructed negative control PlacIQ
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We constructed negative control RBS-ispS and sample PlacIQ-RBS-ispS, using the PlacIQ promoter (BBa_I14032) and <span class="gene">ispS</span>. Gene <span class="gene">ispS</span> is extracted from the pMK backbone vector.(<a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Projects/making-rain/GC-Assay">see more about our constructions</a>)
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and sample PlacIQ-RBS-<span class="gene">ispS</span>(<a href="http://partsregistry.org/wiki/index.php?title=Part:BBa_K649303">BBa_K649303</a>)
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, using the  
 +
PlacIQ promoter and <span class="gene">ispS</span>.  
 +
Gene <span class="gene">ispS</span> is extracted from the pMK  
 +
backbone vector.
 +
(<a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Projects/making-rain/GC-Assay#Const">see more about our constructions</a>)
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/4/4e/Fig3%28rain%29.png" alt="Fig.2" width="500px" style="float:none;" />
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/0/08/Rain-const.png" alt="Fig.3" width="500px" style="float:none;" />
<div class="graph_title">
<div class="graph_title">
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Fig3. Constructions of RBS-ispS and PlacIQ-RBS-ispS
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Fig. 3 Constructions of PlacIQ and PlacIQ-RBS-<span class="gene">ispS</span>
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We also measured the amount of isoprene from <span class="name>E. coli</span> by Gas Chromotrography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). When using GC-MS, we injected a series of chloroform-diluted liquid isoprene to draw the calibration curve. To confirm if liquid isoprene produced by <span clas="name">E. coli</span> would be released as a gas, we diluted liquid isoprene in water and also in LB medium. In both cases, we could confirm evaporated into the air (<a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Projects/making-rain/GC-Assay">see more about these experiments</a>).
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We used Gas Chromotrography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)
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</p>
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                        to measure the amount of isoprene produced by
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<span class="name">E. coli</span>. When using GC-MS, we firstly injected a series of chloroform-diluted  
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Unfortunately, the GC-MS instrument got broken just before the wiki freeze. Therefore we were not able to conclude our experiments and report assay results. But we are certainly able to use the GC-MS again and report our results soon.
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liquid isoprene to draw the calibration curve. Then the peaks of negative control(PlacIQ) and sample(PlacIQ-RBS-<i>ispS</i>) were detected at the retention time at 1.1 min. This is same to the retention time of the peak of authentic material isoprene. Therefore, we concluded  that our E.coli was producing isoprene as we expected.
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                                        </p>
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                <p>
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                        According to the calibration curve and peak areas, we calculated the isoprene produced by our <span class="name">E. coli</span> BL21 (DE3) with the introduction of <span class="name">ispS</span> is about 4.1×10<sup>-5</sup> mg/L, while negative control (PlacIQ) only produced one eighth of the sample.
 +
                        (<a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Projects/making-rain/GC-Assay#AP">see more about this work.</a>)
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                </p>
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                <p>
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                <div align="center">
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                        (a)
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                        <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/a/a1/GS-MG_assay.png">
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                        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/a/a1/GS-MG_assay.png" width="200px"/></a>
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                        (b)
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                        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/e/e4/Rain-fig4-2.jpg" alt="isprene-graph" width="400px" />
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                </div>
 +
                        <center>Fig. 4 isoprene detected by GC-MS (This work is done by Yuto Sugiuchi.)<br />
 +
(a)a-1:negative control(PlacIQ), a-2:sample(PlacIQ-RBS-<span class="gene">ispS</span>), a-3:authentic material                          <br />(b)The amount of isoprene detected in <span class="name">E. coli</span> extract.                        </center>
 +
                </p>      
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<h1 id="discus">3.Discussion</h1>
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<h2 id="rain">3. Discussion</h2>
<p>
<p>
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According to a paper [1], <span class="name">E. coli</span> BL21 (DE3) harboring isoprene synthase will accumulate around 94 mg/batch-L isoprene, while <span class="name">E. coli</span> with negative control will produce very little amounts of isoprene about 9 mg/batch-L. The following calculations show that <span class="name">E. coli</span> make a precipitation is feasible. If we culture this <span class="name">E. coli</span> in 2 L media set in 24 m<sup>3</sup>(3 m×4 m×2 m) space, the concentration of isoprene is 7.8ppm (=21.9 &micro;g/L). This concentration is higher than the requirement 3ppm (=8.4 &micro;g/L) to form secondary organic aerosols in a reaction chamber. We also designed an easy indoor experiment of isoprene to form aerosol through ozone-oxidization of isoprene inside a Teflon bag. Though we estimate that from 3ppm (=8.4 &micro;g/L) isoprene in the Teflon bag likely to form aerosol[4].
+
The reaction between isoprene and ozone has been studied to examine physical and chemical characteristics of the secondary organic aerosol formed. Aerosols is suspension of solid particles or liquid droplets in gas. The most common aerosol in the atmosphere are clouds, which normally consist of suspensions of water droplets or ice particles of greater density, and can later cause rain. According to those information, we designed an easy indoor experiment of reaction between isoprene and ozone, and confirmed that isoprene can make aerosol.The ozone-isoprene reaction was carried out in teflon bags. To facilitate the reaction, ultraviolet radiation was used. 20 mins after the reaction started, formation of aerosol was confirmed as shown the photos below.
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<th>Isoprene -</th>
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<th>Isoprene +</th>
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/9/93/Aerosol2.png" alt="aerosol2" />
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/archive/c/c0/20111027081411%21Aerosol1.png" alt="aerosol1" />
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        </center>
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<center>Fig. 7 aerosol formation</center>
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<b>Reference </b>
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 +
<p>
 +
The picture on the left shows that when isoprene was not present no aerosol was detected even when air, water and ozone were put together under reaction conditions. On the other hand, the picture on the right shows that when isoprene was used, it formed an aerosol (this became evident because the trajectory of the laser light was visible).
 +
<a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Projects/making-rain/GC-Assay#aerosol">see more about this work.</a>
 +
</p>
 +
<p>
 +
All in all, we confirmed that <span class="name">E. coli</span> with the insertion of <span class="gene">ispS</span> synthesizes isoprene and that isoprene makes aerosol. So our <span class="name">E. coli</span> will make it rain!  We also thoroughly concerned about the safety that might come up with the using of isoprene, <a href="https://2011.igem.org/Team:Tokyo_Tech/Safety">details can be seen here.</a>
 +
</p>
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    <div style="margin: 5px;">
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[1] Yaru zhao, et al. Biosynthesis of isoprene in<span class="name">Escherichia coli</span> via methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway, Appl Microbiol Biothechnol(2011) 90:1915-1922<br />
+
<h2>Reference </h2>
-
[2]Mattijs K. Julsing, et al. Functional analysis of genes involved in the biosynthesis of isoprene in Bacillus subtilis, Appl Microbiol Biothechnol(2007)75:1377-1384<br />
+
[1] Yaru zhao, <i>et al</i>., Biosynthesis of isoprene in <span class="name">Escherichia coli</span> via methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway, Appl Microbiol Biothechnol(2011) 90:1915-1922<br />
-
[3]O`Dowd, C.D. Aalto, K.Hameri, M.Kulmala, and Thorsten Hoffmann. Atmospheric particles form organic Vapours, Nature,2002.<br />
+
-
                        [4] Nadine M. Czoschke et al, Effect of acidic seed on biogenic secondary organic aerosol growth, Atmospheric Environment, 2003 <br />
+
[2] Leonardo Silva Santos, <i>et al</i>., Mimicking the atmospheric OH-radical-mediated photooxidation of isoprene: formation of cloud-condensation nuclei polyols monitored by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, Rapid Communication in Mass Spectrometry, 2006<br />
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Latest revision as of 03:43, 29 October 2011

Tokyo Tech 2011

Making it Rain

Illust Playing RPS with E. coli during summer was fun, but, even if humans won, celebrations did not last long since we soon returned to complaining about the hot weather. As a prize for humans who win in our RPS game, we designed an E. coli that can make it rain, making the hot summer more fun and refreshing (let alone applications in agriculture).

1. Introduction

To make it rain we focus on the substance isoprene. It has been observed that trees in tropical rainforests contribute to the formation of photo-smog aerosol in the lower atmosphere by releasing isoprene (Paulson and Seinfeld, 1992). The photo-oxidized isoprene acts as a condensation nucleus [2], may cause rain even if it is present in very low concentrations.

Fig.1
Fig. 1 Isoprene photo-oxidation reaction

It is known that the enzyme isoprene synthase can catalyze the conversion of dimethylallyl diphosphate(DMAPP) to isoprene. DMAPP is normally synthesized by E. coli, so the only thing we need to make our bacteria synthetize isoprene is isoprene synthase. The isoprene synthase coding gene (ispS) is isolated from the tree poplar (Barbara Miller et al., 2001). E. coli introduced this gene released isoprene into the air by diffusion [1]

Fig.3
Fig. 2 Formation of isoprene is catalyzed by isoprene synthase

In this study, we made E. coli synthesize isoprene by introducing ispS.

2. Isoprene by E. coli

To measure the amount of isoprene produced by E. coli with the introduction of ispS, we constructed negative control PlacIQ and sample PlacIQ-RBS-ispS(BBa_K649303) , using the PlacIQ promoter and ispS. Gene ispS is extracted from the pMK backbone vector. (see more about our constructions)

Fig.3
Fig. 3 Constructions of PlacIQ and PlacIQ-RBS-ispS

We used Gas Chromotrography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) to measure the amount of isoprene produced by E. coli. When using GC-MS, we firstly injected a series of chloroform-diluted liquid isoprene to draw the calibration curve. Then the peaks of negative control(PlacIQ) and sample(PlacIQ-RBS-ispS) were detected at the retention time at 1.1 min. This is same to the retention time of the peak of authentic material isoprene. Therefore, we concluded that our E.coli was producing isoprene as we expected.

According to the calibration curve and peak areas, we calculated the isoprene produced by our E. coli BL21 (DE3) with the introduction of ispS is about 4.1×10-5 mg/L, while negative control (PlacIQ) only produced one eighth of the sample. (see more about this work.)

(a) (b) isprene-graph
Fig. 4 isoprene detected by GC-MS (This work is done by Yuto Sugiuchi.)
(a)a-1:negative control(PlacIQ), a-2:sample(PlacIQ-RBS-ispS), a-3:authentic material
(b)The amount of isoprene detected in E. coli extract.

3. Discussion

The reaction between isoprene and ozone has been studied to examine physical and chemical characteristics of the secondary organic aerosol formed. Aerosols is suspension of solid particles or liquid droplets in gas. The most common aerosol in the atmosphere are clouds, which normally consist of suspensions of water droplets or ice particles of greater density, and can later cause rain. According to those information, we designed an easy indoor experiment of reaction between isoprene and ozone, and confirmed that isoprene can make aerosol.The ozone-isoprene reaction was carried out in teflon bags. To facilitate the reaction, ultraviolet radiation was used. 20 mins after the reaction started, formation of aerosol was confirmed as shown the photos below.

Isoprene - Isoprene +
aerosol2 aerosol1
Fig. 7 aerosol formation

The picture on the left shows that when isoprene was not present no aerosol was detected even when air, water and ozone were put together under reaction conditions. On the other hand, the picture on the right shows that when isoprene was used, it formed an aerosol (this became evident because the trajectory of the laser light was visible). see more about this work.

All in all, we confirmed that E. coli with the insertion of ispS synthesizes isoprene and that isoprene makes aerosol. So our E. coli will make it rain! We also thoroughly concerned about the safety that might come up with the using of isoprene, details can be seen here.

Reference

[1] Yaru zhao, et al., Biosynthesis of isoprene in Escherichia coli via methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway, Appl Microbiol Biothechnol(2011) 90:1915-1922
[2] Leonardo Silva Santos, et al., Mimicking the atmospheric OH-radical-mediated photooxidation of isoprene: formation of cloud-condensation nuclei polyols monitored by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, Rapid Communication in Mass Spectrometry, 2006

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