Template:NAU-CHINA/description
Description
Aiming at solving the problems caused by Fusarium head blight, our project provides two lines: inhibiting the growth of pathogenic fungi—F. graminearum and degrade the mycotoxins—Deoxynivalenol and Zearalenone.
In the first module of our project, we used engineered yeasts to massively produce antifungal peptides, including cecropin A, plant defensin corn 1 and MtDef4. These antifungal peptides can inhibit the growth of F. graminearum mycelium and kill spores.
In the second module, also the sensing module, we design 2 circuits: a constitutive expressed estrogen receptor with ERE sequences, or a complex parts consisting with VP16 activation domain (AD), an estrogen receptor ligand-binding domain (ER LBD) and a GAL4 DNA-binding domain (DBD), which function as an substitute for the estrogen receptor and can activate gal10 promoter.
In our third module we express 2 kinds of catabolic enzymes: ZHD101 and TRI101, which can degrade DON and ZEN respectively and are controlled by the photoactivatable genetic switches.
We design a kill switch in the fourth module to prevent yeasts from escaping, in which 2 key proteins are involved: “toxin protein” Bax and “antidote protein” BI-1. If the engineered yeasts escape from the device, they will lose the protection of BI-1 protein and be killed by Bax protein.
Using the engineering yeast and the device we designed combining with the mathematical module, our project offers a potential way to help overcome Fusarium head blight.
The beginning of our story……
Actor: Antifungal peptide Fusarium graminearum
Actress: wheat
Maybe everything is a magic......
Long long ago , wheat was the little princess in the heart of everyone. As a saying goes: “you are the apple of my eyes......”. But the F. graminearum existed as a demon, which always hurt the wheat. Nobody known the reason, maybe it’s because of the love. He could lead to the Fusarium head blight(FHB). The disease was spreading and there were no means to stop it. We, iGEM team NAU-CHINA, created a “yeast factory”. It can produce the antifungal peptide. The peptide and wheat fell in love at first sight, two in love. So it was willing to sacrifice its own lives to resist the F. graminearum, even if only for a short time. Maybe this is the true love. But all of these are under the control of our team--NAU-CHINA. Using the factory we can help and save the wheat.
The story is not over, as our story continues......
