Abstract

Switch off PAHs

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are harmful to both environment and human health. We proposed the PAHs degradation system, which contains codon-optimized laccase from Bacillus sp. HR03 and catechol 1,2-dioxygenase from Pseudomonas putida KT2440 for Escherichia coli...

Parts

An important aspect of the iGEM competition is the use and creation of standard biological parts. Each team will make new parts during iGEM and will place them in the Registry of Standard Biological Parts...

The system was capable of degrading PAHs into less toxic simple carboxylic acid. Also, since quinones are intermediates in the pathway, we added quinone sensing and response repressor (QsrR) to regulate the degradation process. To accelerate the degradation, we used Voltage Switch (VS), the other great highlight of our project. We designed a novel transmembrane protein called Voltage Switch (VS), which is a fusion protein utilizing the voltage sensing domain from potassium ion channels. Triggered by change in potential across the cell membrane, VS can separate or bring targeting enzymes into proximity; thus allowing an instant control of enzymatic reaction.

Voltage Switch

Another great highlight of our project is Voltage Switch. In order to increase the efficiency of PAHs degradation pathway, we design a novel switch triggered by electricity. The switch includes differently combined protein domains that regulate the distance between enzymes.

PAH Degradation

We propose a pathway of PAH degradation, which is carried out by a combination of enzyme laccase and catechol 1, 2-dioxygenase....

The final product is a kind of simple carboxylic acid, which is less harmful to human body. Since quinones are generated in the beginning of the metabolism, we use quinone sensing and response repressor (QsrR) to control the degradation process.