You may style this page as you like or you can simply leave the style as it is. You can easily keep the styling and edit the content of these default wiki pages with your project information and completely fulfill the requirement to document your project.

While you may not win Best Wiki with this styling, your team is still eligible for all other awards. This default wiki meets the requirements, it improves navigability and ease of use for visitors, and you should not feel it is necessary to style beyond what has been provided.

Wiki template information

We have created these wiki template pages to help you get started and to help you think about how your team will be evaluated. You can find a list of all the pages tied to awards here at the Pages for awards link. You must edit these pages to be evaluated for medals and awards, but ultimately the design, layout, style and all other elements of your team wiki is up to you!

Editing your wiki

On this page you can document your project, introduce your team members, document your progress and share your iGEM experience with the rest of the world!

Use WikiTools - Edit in the black menu bar to edit this page

Tips

This wiki will be your team’s first interaction with the rest of the world, so here are a few tips to help you get started:

State your accomplishments! Tell people what you have achieved from the start.
Be clear about what you are doing and how you plan to do this.
You have a global audience! Consider the different backgrounds that your users come from.
Make sure information is easy to find; nothing should be more than 3 clicks away.
Avoid using very small fonts and low contrast colors; information should be easy to read.
Start documenting your project as early as possible; don’t leave anything to the last minute before the Wiki Freeze. For a complete list of deadlines visit the iGEM 2017 calendar
Have lots of fun!

Inspiration

You can also view other team wikis for inspiration! Here are some examples:

Uploading pictures and files

You can upload your pictures and files to the iGEM 2017 server. Remember to keep all your pictures and files within your team's namespace or at least include your team's name in the file name.
When you upload, set the "Destination Filename" to
T--YourOfficialTeamName--NameOfFile.jpg. (If you don't do this, someone else might upload a different file with the same "Destination Filename", and your file would be erased!)

UPLOAD FILES

Abstract

Hundreds of amphibian species worldwide face extinction due to Chytridiomycosis. Chytridiomycosis is an infectious disease of amphibians that is caused by the aquatic fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Bd infects the keratin containing layers of the amphibian’s skin. This skin infection results in hyperketosis, causing the skin to become thick and fall off. When this happens, osmotic regulation fails, electrolyte levels drop, and the amphibian dies of cardiac arrest. Chytridiomycosis often leads to death unless the animal is treated in a lab. This disease is an immediate threat to amphibian biodiversity worldwide. There are, however, a few species of amphibians that are resistant to the Chytridiomycosis infection. This resistance is conferred by symbiotic bacteria present on their skin that produces antifungal metabolites. Currently, amphibians with Chytridiomycosis must be treated in a lab environment and treating entire populations of amphibians is impossible. Laboratory treatments for Chytridiomycosis include killing Bd by heating the affected animal to 37 °C for 4 hours, but some amphibians are too sensitive to survive this treatment. Another treatment is with an antifungal ointment such as Itroconazole either through bathing or oral administration. More research is needed to know whether antifungal ointments are safe to use on certain amphibians. The UFlorida iGEM team seeks to develop a new treatment for Chytridiomycosis based on the metabolites produced by the symbiotic bacteria of the amphibian populations resistant to the fungus. Tryptophol, a metabolite of a synergistic frog skin bacteria species, has been shown to be effective at combating the Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis fungus at low doses. Our team will modify E.coli with the genes comprising the pathway for tryptophol synthesis. The biosynthesis pathway for tryptophol begins with tryptophan as the substrate. Tryptophan is converted into (indol-3-yl)pyruvate by the enzyme Aromatic Amino Acid Aminotransferase II, which is coded for by the ARO9 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. (Indole-3-yl)pyruvate is then converted into indole acetaldehyde by the enzyme 2-oxo Acid Decarboxylase, which is encoded by the ARO10 gene. Lastly, Indole acetaldehyde is converted into indole-3-ethanol (tryptophol) by the enzyme Alcohol Dehydrogenase I, which is encoded by the gene ADH1. In order to produce tryptophol from tryptophan, we will transform the ARO9, ARO10, and ADH1 genes into E.coli. Our team chose to pursue this project because amphibian populations are an essential component to many ecosystems, especially as indicator species (which are known as early warning signs of declining health of the ecosystem). The amphibian populations in Florida are experiencing a steep decline, which could impact the rest of the ecosystem. In particular, amphibians help to control mosquito populations, which is a paramount issue in Florida. While the primary cause of the population decline is not known, Chytridiomycosis has been detected in Florida and remains a threat to the local amphibian populations. UPLOAD FILES

Team:UFlorida

UFlorida

Tryptophol Synthesis