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Team:UNAM-Genomics Mexico/Project
From 2011.igem.org
Rhizobium etli is a bacterial species that can live either freely or in symbiosis with the bean Phaseolus vulgaris. In it's symbiotic stage R. etli lives in nodules in the plant's root and has the ability to fixate nitrogen gas as amine molecules. Inside the nodule the environment is hypoxigenic. The enzymatic production of hydrogen requires a hypoxigenic environment to favor the reactions. We want to introduce the metabolic pathway of hydrogen production into R. etli and take advantage of its niche in the hypoxic nodule. Our goal is hydrogen production in the Phaseolus vulgaris root.
These are the goals in our project:
System design
The system comprises four genes: a hydrogenase HydA, a pyruvate ferrodoxin reductase PFOR, and two hydrogenase maturases HydEF and HydG.
System insertion into E. coli
Rhizobium etli can't be transformed, and it's phages haven't been studied enough. However R. etli can receive DNA if conjugated with Escherichia coli. To introduce our system into R. etli we must first introduce it into E. coli.
System conjugation into R. etli
The conjugation process.
Bean innoculation
Our bacteria are innoculated in bean seeds. These seeds are grown for several days. When we have a small nodulating plant we will measure hydrogen production.
