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Team:Edinburgh
From 2011.igem.org
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| - | <html> | + | <html><div><a href="/" class="nounderline"><span class="hardword" id="igem"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2011/b/bb/IGEM-logo-for-Edinburgh.png" /></span></a></div></html> |
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| - | + | <center>'''Improving biorefineries using synergy'''</center> | |
| + | <center>'''An iGEM feasibility study by Edinburgh 2011'''</center> | ||
| - | + | A biorefinery is a special type of refinery in which biomass, such as plant cellulose, is converted by microorganisms into useful products. Edinburgh's 2011 iGEM project is a feasibility study into the creation of biorefineries and whether they can be improved by arranging for the different enzymes involved to be in close proximity to each other. | |
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| + | ==Synergy== | ||
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| + | In many applications, several enzymes are needed to produce the desired product. And it is often the case that these enzymes work <span class="hardword" id="synergy">synergistically</span><i>;</i> meaning their efficiency is increased if they are in close proximity. | ||
Last year, [https://2010.igem.org/Team:Slovenia Slovenia] found a way to achieve synergy in the periplasm. This year, Edinburgh is focusing on achieving synergy outside the cell. | Last year, [https://2010.igem.org/Team:Slovenia Slovenia] found a way to achieve synergy in the periplasm. This year, Edinburgh is focusing on achieving synergy outside the cell. | ||
| - | + | We will create microscopic <span class="hardword" id="bioreactor">bioreactors</span>, which we define as scaffolds holding various enzymes which carry out reactions in the extracellular environment. Our hope is that, by combining the activity of multiple enzymes in a small space, high efficiency will be achieved. Several systems are being investigated: | |
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| - | We will create microscopic <span class="hardword" id="bioreactor">bioreactors</span>, which we define as scaffolds holding various enzymes which carry out reactions in the extracellular environment. Our hope is that, by combining the activity of multiple enzymes in a small space, high efficiency will be achieved. Several systems are being | + | |
===Cell surface display=== | ===Cell surface display=== | ||
| - | * The simplest system | + | * The simplest system uses <span class="hardword" id="ec">E. coli</span> bacteria as the scaffold. Each bacterium generates several enzymes and displays them on its outer membrane. |
===Phage display=== | ===Phage display=== | ||
| - | * A radical proposal | + | * A more radical proposal involves use <span class="hardword" id="m13">M13</span> <span class="hardword" id="phage">phage</span> as the scaffold, and attaching enzymes by phage-display techniques to the <span class="hardword" id="p8">pVIII</span> coat protein. |
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===Biorefinery=== | ===Biorefinery=== | ||
| - | + | Our feasibility study looks at more than simply the low-level biology. We also examine the engineering aspects of the creation of biorefineries, and the political and social implications. | |
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Revision as of 12:40, 19 August 2011
A biorefinery is a special type of refinery in which biomass, such as plant cellulose, is converted by microorganisms into useful products. Edinburgh's 2011 iGEM project is a feasibility study into the creation of biorefineries and whether they can be improved by arranging for the different enzymes involved to be in close proximity to each other.
Synergy
In many applications, several enzymes are needed to produce the desired product. And it is often the case that these enzymes work synergistically; meaning their efficiency is increased if they are in close proximity.
Last year, Slovenia found a way to achieve synergy in the periplasm. This year, Edinburgh is focusing on achieving synergy outside the cell.
We will create microscopic bioreactors, which we define as scaffolds holding various enzymes which carry out reactions in the extracellular environment. Our hope is that, by combining the activity of multiple enzymes in a small space, high efficiency will be achieved. Several systems are being investigated:
Cell surface display
- The simplest system uses E. coli bacteria as the scaffold. Each bacterium generates several enzymes and displays them on its outer membrane.
Phage display
- A more radical proposal involves use M13 phage as the scaffold, and attaching enzymes by phage-display techniques to the pVIII coat protein.
Biorefinery
Our feasibility study looks at more than simply the low-level biology. We also examine the engineering aspects of the creation of biorefineries, and the political and social implications.
