Difference between revisions of "Team:Baltimore Bio-Crew/Design"

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This project started with only a few things in mind. Our team members knew they wanted to find a solution to an environmental issue that is prevalent in Baltimore City, and they wanted to develop a solution that could be created using the tools in the lab.
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While researching solutions to the issue of plastic pollution, we found a paper describing a bacteria that could degrade PET plastic. This bacteria is known as Ideonella sakaiensis.
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Found in Yoshida Sasuke's Lab, the bacterium Ideonella s. degraded the surface of a thin PET film at a rate of 0.13 mg/cm2/day at an incubation temperature of 30°C.
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Two enzymes that were secreted onto film were believed to have aided in the almost complete degradation of the PET film. These enzymes are:
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PETase (Esterase) :
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  <li>catalyzes PET hydrolysis</li>
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  <li>Turns PET into MHET (Mono (2-hydroxyethyl) Terephthalate acid)</li>
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MHETase (Lipase) :
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  <li>Breaks down MHET</li>
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  <li>Turns MHET into ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid.</li>
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Ethylene glycol and Terephthalic acid are used as energy source for I. sakaiensis.
 
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Revision as of 03:49, 1 November 2017



BALTIMORE BIO-CREW

Bio-Engineering E.Coli To Degrade Plastic and Save The Baltimore Inner Harbor


Design

This project started with only a few things in mind. Our team members knew they wanted to find a solution to an environmental issue that is prevalent in Baltimore City, and they wanted to develop a solution that could be created using the tools in the lab.
While researching solutions to the issue of plastic pollution, we found a paper describing a bacteria that could degrade PET plastic. This bacteria is known as Ideonella sakaiensis.
Found in Yoshida Sasuke's Lab, the bacterium Ideonella s. degraded the surface of a thin PET film at a rate of 0.13 mg/cm2/day at an incubation temperature of 30°C.
Two enzymes that were secreted onto film were believed to have aided in the almost complete degradation of the PET film. These enzymes are:
PETase (Esterase) :
  • catalyzes PET hydrolysis
  • Turns PET into MHET (Mono (2-hydroxyethyl) Terephthalate acid)
MHETase (Lipase) :
  • Breaks down MHET
  • Turns MHET into ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid.
Ethylene glycol and Terephthalic acid are used as energy source for I. sakaiensis.