Difference between revisions of "Team:INSA-UPS France/Entrepreneurship/Device"

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         <figcaption>Sachet containing our synthetic biology system composed of <i>V. harveyi</i> and <i>P. pastoris</i> with nutrient medium (Solidworks modeling) </figcaption>
 
         <figcaption>Sachet containing our synthetic biology system composed of <i>V. harveyi</i> and <i>P. pastoris</i> with nutrient medium (Solidworks modeling) </figcaption>
 
       </figure>
 
       </figure>
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    </section>
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    <section>
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      <h1>Containment materials</h1>
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      <ul>
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        <li>In order to ensure the feasibility of the system and the <b>functional specifications</b>, it is necessary to allow <b>exchanges of CAI-1 molecules and antimicrobial peptides through the sachet</b>. <b>Water</b> must also diffuse in order to rehydrate the freeze-dried microorganisms.</li>
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        <li>However, <b>GMMs must remain</b> inside the sachet in order to avoid spreading <b>in Nature</b> and <b>ingestion by the users</b>.</li>
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        <li>To ensure optimum confinement, the chosen material must be strong and must not appear fragile.</li>
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        <li>Finally, we must find the <b>best cost</b> while also considering the environmental aspect. Materials with a <b>low impact on the environment</b> and recyclable would be ideal.</li>
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      </ul>
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      <p>
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        The solution we chose is a material with pores such as a membrane with an appropriate cut-off threshold.
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      </p>
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      <p>
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        TPXⓇ, or PolyMethyl Penten (PMP), has already been used in iGEM as a biological system confinement material (Groningen 20121, Toulouse 20152). TPXⓇ consists in thin, transparent, heat-sealable sheets. The volume of the desired sachet is therefore adjustable according to the treatment capacity of the device. It has pores with a diameter of 20 nm. The Toulouse 2015 iGEM team carried out tests to confirm that E. coli BW 25113 grows under TPXⓇ membranes as well as in a culture tube and to attest that bacteria remain inside the sachet after 27 h. V. harveyi has approximately the same size as E. coli (about 2 &mu;m) and P. pastoris cells are about 5 &mu;m in diameter. The following table and figure compare the sizes of the elements.
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      </p>
 
     </section>
 
     </section>
  

Revision as of 18:13, 25 October 2017

Croc'n Cholera
iGEM UPS-INSA Toulouse 2017

Device conception

Having listed the features our device must display, we started thinking about its design to contain our synthetic biology system. We went over the technical specifications one by one and we tried to find the most suitable solution.

To provide a proof of concept of the feasibility of our product, we first made a prototype. This prototype has been designed to treat 5 liters of water in a single use. It will be necessary in the future to increase the treatment capacity to meet the water needs of cholera-affected villages.

GMMs containment
Containment materials
Dimensions
Sachet content
Use
3D Printing

GMMs containment

Our synthetic biology system must be confined in a compartment that prevents modified microorganisms from spreading in water and in Nature. So we first thought up a sachet containing our sensor Vibrio harveyi and our killer-effector Pichia Pastoris. This sachet will also contain nutrients to allow microorganism to survive and fulfill their function.

Sachet containing our synthetic biology system composed of V. harveyi and P. pastoris with nutrient medium (Solidworks modeling)

Containment materials

  • In order to ensure the feasibility of the system and the functional specifications, it is necessary to allow exchanges of CAI-1 molecules and antimicrobial peptides through the sachet. Water must also diffuse in order to rehydrate the freeze-dried microorganisms.
  • However, GMMs must remain inside the sachet in order to avoid spreading in Nature and ingestion by the users.
  • To ensure optimum confinement, the chosen material must be strong and must not appear fragile.
  • Finally, we must find the best cost while also considering the environmental aspect. Materials with a low impact on the environment and recyclable would be ideal.

The solution we chose is a material with pores such as a membrane with an appropriate cut-off threshold.

TPXⓇ, or PolyMethyl Penten (PMP), has already been used in iGEM as a biological system confinement material (Groningen 20121, Toulouse 20152). TPXⓇ consists in thin, transparent, heat-sealable sheets. The volume of the desired sachet is therefore adjustable according to the treatment capacity of the device. It has pores with a diameter of 20 nm. The Toulouse 2015 iGEM team carried out tests to confirm that E. coli BW 25113 grows under TPXⓇ membranes as well as in a culture tube and to attest that bacteria remain inside the sachet after 27 h. V. harveyi has approximately the same size as E. coli (about 2 μm) and P. pastoris cells are about 5 μm in diameter. The following table and figure compare the sizes of the elements.