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Team:Colombia Uniandes/NickoProject
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Revision as of 02:49, 24 September 2013
Contents
ColombiaSuperProjects!
Our Nickel Absorption System!
Nicko
Nickel is a silvery-white, hard, malleable, and ductile metal. Now days the major use of nickel is in the preparation of alloys which are characterized by their strength, ductility, and resistance to corrosion and heat, such as stainless steel. It is also used for rechargeable batteries, catalysts and other chemicals among others. Most nickel on Earth is inaccessible; this is why the metal is mined in Russia, Australia, Cuba, Canada, Colombia, Venezuela and South Africa.
As a result of this activity all kinds of water bodies are being contaminated with metals of this nature, Colombia, is one of the many affected. In small quantities nickel is essential, but when the uptake is too high it can be a dangerous to human health bringing many types of cancer, birth defects, abortions, asthma, allergic reactions such as skin rashes or “nickel-itch”, and many other conditions as its consequences.
Responding to these concerns, we have designed a bacterium which would be capable of absorbing the nickel in its interior using the internal regulating system of nickel belonging to the Cupriavidus metallidurans, to later be removed magnetically, using the property from Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 which will be used as our final chassis.
Design: Project Parts!
Nickel Removal System
Our construct
Using the nickel homeostatic system of E. coli and Cupriavidus metallidurans, we will be able to create a system capable to detect and absorb nickel, to later be removed magnetically, using the magnetotactic property from Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 which will be used as our final chassis.
Nickel removal system construct
Explanation?
Prcnr is a constitutive promoter, constantly producing RcnR protein which represses PrcnA. When there is nickel in the media RcnR alters its form, making it impossible to bind PrcnA, activating the production of the HoxN protein. This last protein is an efficient nickel transporter form Ralstonia metallidurans that places in the membrane allowing the income of the metal into the cell.
Acording to the above, our system is recensusing for nickel everytime, and when this metal is detected, it is absorbed and consequently further increases its absorption.
Our chassis
We chose Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 as a final chassis this organism has the particularity to produce “magnetosomes” which are vesicles that contain 15 to 20 magnetite crystals that together act like a compass needle to orient magnetotactic bacteria in geomagnetic fields. This property, will allow us to eliminate the bacteria from water with a simple magnetic field.
Reporter for PrcnA
In order to check PrcnA obtained works in the presence of nickel, we will measure the RFP activity, using our construct not only as a nickel removal system but as a quantitative nickel reporter as well.
Our work in progress!
Individual Parts Checklist*
PrcnR
Extracted
rcnR
Extracted
PrcnA
In progress
hoxN
Extracted
RFP
Stand by
*Updated as of July 27.
Contents |
ColombiaSuperProjects!
Our Nickel Absorption System!
Nickel is a silvery-white, hard, malleable, and ductile metal. Now days the major use of nickel is in the preparation of alloys which are characterized by their strength, ductility, and resistance to corrosion and heat, such as stainless steel. It is also used for rechargeable batteries, catalysts and other chemicals among others. Most nickel on Earth is inaccessible; this is why the metal is mined in Russia, Australia, Cuba, Canada, Colombia, Venezuela and South Africa.
As a result of this activity all kinds of water bodies are being contaminated with metals of this nature, Colombia, is one of the many affected. In small quantities nickel is essential, but when the uptake is too high it can be a dangerous to human health bringing many types of cancer, birth defects, abortions, asthma, allergic reactions such as skin rashes or “nickel-itch”, and many other conditions as its consequences.
Responding to these concerns, we have designed a bacterium which would be capable of absorbing the nickel in its interior using the internal regulating system of nickel belonging to the Cupriavidus metallidurans, to later be removed magnetically, using the property from Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 which will be used as our final chassis.
Design: Project Parts!
Nickel Removal System
Our construct
Using the nickel homeostatic system of E. coli and Cupriavidus metallidurans, we will be able to create a system capable to detect and absorb nickel, to later be removed magnetically, using the magnetotactic property from Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 which will be used as our final chassis.
Nickel removal system constructExplanation?
Prcnr is a constitutive promoter, constantly producing RcnR protein which represses PrcnA. When there is nickel in the media RcnR alters its form, making it impossible to bind PrcnA, activating the production of the HoxN protein. This last protein is an efficient nickel transporter form Ralstonia metallidurans that places in the membrane allowing the income of the metal into the cell.
Acording to the above, our system is recensusing for nickel everytime, and when this metal is detected, it is absorbed and consequently further increases its absorption.
Our chassis
We chose Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 as a final chassis this organism has the particularity to produce “magnetosomes” which are vesicles that contain 15 to 20 magnetite crystals that together act like a compass needle to orient magnetotactic bacteria in geomagnetic fields. This property, will allow us to eliminate the bacteria from water with a simple magnetic field.
Reporter for PrcnA
In order to check PrcnA obtained works in the presence of nickel, we will measure the RFP activity, using our construct not only as a nickel removal system but as a quantitative nickel reporter as well.
Our work in progress!
Individual Parts Checklist* PrcnR Extracted rcnR Extracted PrcnA In progress hoxN Extracted RFP Stand by
*Updated as of July 27.
