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From 2013.igem.org

	Project Overview	Validate PLA synthesis	Develop bioassay	Apply MAGE	Introduce export system	Make a bioplastic

Aims for the Project

1. Engineer strains of E. coli for PLA synthesis
   
2. Develop bioassay to screen PLA production
   
3. Apply MAGE to optimize PLA production, guided by FBA
   
4. Introduce type 1 secretion system to export and extract PLA
   
5. Make a bioplastic

Introduce type 1 secretion system to export and extract PLA

• We needed a way to export the PLA once it was synthesized by the E. coli
  • We found the paper by Linton 2010 where she focused on exporting PHA from engineered E. coli

• She used Phasin, a PHA granule associated protein that plays a role in granule formation, with a hlyA tag.
  • This allowed the cells to export the PLA since the hlyA tag was attached to the granule

• Due to the similarity between PHA granules and PLA granules we hypothesized that this same export system would allow us to export PLA from our cells.