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Team:Heidelberg/Tour
From 2013.igem.org
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We aim to open up the usage of NRPS to the iGEM Community. Therefore: | We aim to open up the usage of NRPS to the iGEM Community. Therefore: | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| - | <li style="font-size:14px">We prove that NRPS modules behave in a modular manner</li> | + | <li style="font-size:14px">We prove that NRPS modules behave in a modular manner and can be shuffled</li> |
<li style="font-size:14px">We develop a method for easy NRP-detection</li> | <li style="font-size:14px">We develop a method for easy NRP-detection</li> | ||
<li style="font-size:14px">We use a NRP for the recycling of gold from electronic waste</li> | <li style="font-size:14px">We use a NRP for the recycling of gold from electronic waste</li> | ||
Revision as of 21:29, 27 October 2013
Project
Notebook
Human Practice
Take the Tour! Have a quick look at our Project.
Overview
We aim to open up the usage of NRPS to the iGEM Community. Therefore:
- We prove that NRPS modules behave in a modular manner and can be shuffled
- We develop a method for easy NRP-detection
- We use a NRP for the recycling of gold from electronic waste
- We implement a software which enables everyone to design synthetic NRPs
Recycling of gold from electronic waste using recombinant delftibactin
Undoubtedly, gold is one of the most precious materials on earth. Besides its common use in art and jewelry, gold is also an essential component of our modern computers and cell-phones. Due to the fast turn-over of today’s high-tech equipment, millions of tons of electronic waste accumulate each year containing tons of this valuable metal. The main approach nowadays to recycle gold from electronic waste is by electrolysis. Unfortunately, this is a highly inefficient and expensive procedure, preventing most of the gold from being recovered. This year a paper was published in Nature Chemical Biology by Johnsston et al. which described a small peptide produced by Delftia acidovorans which has the astonishing property to precipitate gold from solution- delftibactin. The aim of the gold recycling project was to use this non-ribosomal peptide to precipitate gold from electronic waste. This would provide a more natural way of recovery. Furthermore another goal is the introduction of the pathway for delftibactin production and additionally needed enzymes, which means about 70 kb of DNA in total, into E. coli. We want to show that these large constructs can be potentially inserted and expressed by E. coli with the promising perspective that delftibactin could readily be used as an efficient way of gold recycling from electronic waste.
Software
We have implemented a software called "NRPSDesigner", which allows the user to enter a desired peptide consisting of currently over 50 amino acids he or she can choose from our dynamical database. The software calculates a NRPS domain sequence, composed of domains from different species, which is capable of producing the desired non-ribosomal peptide. Via the integrated Software "Gibthon", a former iGEM project, a Gibson cloning strategy is designed. In order to make sure our tool can be used beyond this years iGEM competition we furthermore implemented the possibility of adding new domains to our database by entering a DNA sequence. On the basis of this DNA sequence a domain prediction is carried out, which is based on antismash2. This de facto enables everyone to design his or her non-ribosomal peptide of interest!
Modeling the feasibility of Gold Recycling with Delftibactin
In oder to find out whether the use of delftibactin would be feasible for industrial-scale recycling of gold from electronic waste we designed a model for the cost development of such a aproach.
Modeling the Indigoidine Production
This text show only be displayed under model.
Human Practice
The aim of science and synthetic biology in particular is to improve lives by solving problems. We as researchers (-to-be) are therefore working for society. Yet, we can only offer solutions, which have to be approved and applied by the public.
We as iGEM Team Heidelberg have therefore put great effort in communicating with many groups within society to open minds, broaden horizons as well as minimize prejudices and concerns:
- Involving experts
- Engaging the broad public
- Getting inspired by artists
- Intruiging the next generation of scientists
And finally bringing them all together to an open talk evening addressing the question "On the Way to a Synthetic Future?"
Results
- We opened up the usage of NRPS to the iGEM community
- We proved modularity of NRPS on different hierachical layers
- We established a universal and specific tag for the labeling of NRPs
- We submitted a standardized assembly line production procedure for synthetic NRPs: RFC 99 and RFC 100
- We implemented a software which enables everyone to create synthetic NRPS!
- We had a great summer with lots of fun and new experiences!
