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Team:Berkeley
From 2013.igem.org
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| - | <div id="2"><div class = "heading"><a name="Project Description">Project Description</a></div> | + | <div id="2"><div class = "heading"><a name="Project Description"> Project Description</a></div> |
<p>Many of the major advances in synthetic biology involve the ability to use microorganisms to synthesize compounds that are difficult or costly to produce chemically. Our team hopes to exploit this familiar application of synthetic biology to achieve an alternative indigo dyeing process.</p> | <p>Many of the major advances in synthetic biology involve the ability to use microorganisms to synthesize compounds that are difficult or costly to produce chemically. Our team hopes to exploit this familiar application of synthetic biology to achieve an alternative indigo dyeing process.</p> | ||
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| - | <div id="3"><div class = "heading"><a name="Sponsors">Acknowledgements</a></div> | + | <div id="3"><div class = "heading"><a name="Sponsors"> Acknowledgements</a></div> |
<p>The UC Berkeley iGEM team would like to thank Autodesk, Agilent, Synthetic Biology Institute, Qualcomm, Dean A. Richard Newton Memorial Chair for their financial support, IDT for discounted oligos and Quintara Bio for discounted sequencing service. </p> | <p>The UC Berkeley iGEM team would like to thank Autodesk, Agilent, Synthetic Biology Institute, Qualcomm, Dean A. Richard Newton Memorial Chair for their financial support, IDT for discounted oligos and Quintara Bio for discounted sequencing service. </p> | ||
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Revision as of 23:39, 27 October 2013
Many of the major advances in synthetic biology involve the ability to use microorganisms to synthesize compounds that are difficult or costly to produce chemically. Our team hopes to exploit this familiar application of synthetic biology to achieve an alternative indigo dyeing process.
Indigo, the dye used to make blue jeans around the world, is produced in quantities of tens of thousands of tons every year. The chemical process involves converting vast quantities of aniline into indigo. Because indigo is extremely insoluble in water, this product must be reduced to leuco-indigo, a white soluble substance, using sodium dithionite. This process relies on harsh acids, bases and reducing agents.
Drawing inspiration from plant-based indigo dyeing methods, we propose a more sustainable dyeing method using a chemical called indican as an alternative to leuco-indigo. Read on to learn more about our nature-inspired system!
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The UC Berkeley iGEM team would like to thank Autodesk, Agilent, Synthetic Biology Institute, Qualcomm, Dean A. Richard Newton Memorial Chair for their financial support, IDT for discounted oligos and Quintara Bio for discounted sequencing service.
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