Team:WashU

From 2011.igem.org

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Latest revision as of 04:07, 8 February 2012

Washington University in St. Louis 2011

The 2011 WashU iGEM team is researching the capability of baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to produce the compounds β-carotene and β-ionone. By manipulating the enzymatic pathways associated with the compounds and incorporating them into yeast, we hope to find an efficient means of infusing vitamin A, a derivative of β-carotene, into food items. Our research may ultimately stimulate the advancement and production of healthy food supplements similar to "golden rice".

β-ionone, derived from β-carotene, is an aromatic compound characterized by a rose scent and is a contributing ingredient for many perfumes. Production of β-ionone in a widely-available organism has the potential to improve the efficiency of obtaining this fragrance for the perfume industry.

Our team has been vigorously working throughout the months of June, July and August and we hope that our research will be put to good use!

The Project's 5 major components

1) Using PCR to attach a restriction site and yeast plasmid homology to our four unique cassettes (selective markers).

2) Using PCR to attach a restriction site and yeast plasmid homology to the genes involved in our enzymatic pathway.

3) Performing a restriction digest and ligation process to connect the genes and cassettes together such that we get Homology---Gene---Restriction + Restriction---cassette---Homology.

4) Transforming our final gene/cassette product into yeast. Then through yeast mating and sporulation, we hope to successfully create transgenic yeast that can produce β-carotene and β-ionone.

5) Using assays, we ultimately test for the production of β-carotene and β-ionone and the efficiency of this pathway.

For a more detailed overview of our experimental plan, please see our modeling page here.

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 [[File:Bread.jpg|200px|thumb|left|]]
-The 2011 WashU iGEM team is researching the capability of baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to produce the compounds β-carotene and β-ionone. By manipulating the enzymatic pathways associated with the compounds and incorporating them into yeast, we hope to find an efficient means of infusing vitamin A, a derivative of β-carotene, into food items. Our research may ultimately benefit the production healthy food supplements much similar to "golden rice".
+The 2011 WashU iGEM team is researching the capability of baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to produce the compounds β-carotene and β-ionone. By manipulating the enzymatic pathways associated with the compounds and incorporating them into yeast, we hope to find an efficient means of infusing vitamin A, a derivative of β-carotene, into food items. Our research may ultimately stimulate the advancement and production of healthy food supplements similar to "golden rice".
-β-ionone, also derived from β-carotene, is an aroma compound that contributes to the perfume of roses and other fragrant flowers. Production of β-ionone in a widely-available organism has the potential to improve the efficiency of obtaining this fragrance for the perfume industry.
+β-ionone, derived from β-carotene, is an aromatic compound characterized by a rose scent and is a contributing ingredient for many perfumes. Production of β-ionone in a widely-available organism has the potential to improve the efficiency of obtaining this fragrance for the perfume industry.
-Our team has been vigorously working throughout the months of June, July and August, and we hope that our research will be put to good use!
+Our team has been vigorously working throughout the months of June, July and August and we hope that our research will be put to good use!
@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 [[File:Lab.jpg|200px|thumb|right|]]'''The Project's 5 major components'''
-) Using PCR to attach a restriction site and yeast plasmid homology to our four unique cassettes (selective markers). We will then run the PCR products through gels to check for product size.
+) Using PCR to attach a restriction site and yeast plasmid homology to our four unique cassettes (selective markers).
 ) Using PCR to attach a restriction site and yeast plasmid homology to the genes involved in our enzymatic pathway.
-) Performing a restriction digest and ligation process to connect the genes and cassettes together such that we get Homology---Gene---Restriction + Restriction---cassette---Homology. (note when the restriction sites should interact in such a way that they lose their ability to act as restriction sites)
+) Performing a restriction digest and ligation process to connect the genes and cassettes together such that we get Homology---Gene---Restriction + Restriction---cassette---Homology.
-) Transforming our final gene/cassette product into yeast. Then through yeast sporulation and mating, we hope to successfully create transformed yeast that can produce β-carotene and β-ionone.
+) Transforming our final gene/cassette product into yeast. Then through yeast mating and sporulation, we hope to successfully create transgenic yeast that can produce β-carotene and β-ionone.
 ) Using assays, we ultimately test for the production of β-carotene and β-ionone and the efficiency of this pathway.
+For a more detailed overview of our experimental plan, please see our modeling page [https://2011.igem.org/Team:WashU/Modeling here].