Difference between revisions of "Team:Aix-Marseille/Project"

 
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Our project '''KILL XYL''' is to find a cure for the disease caused by the plant pathogen [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|''Xylella fastidiosa'']]. This disease currently causes the loss of thousands of acres of European crops and currently there is no cure for it.
 
Our project '''KILL XYL''' is to find a cure for the disease caused by the plant pathogen [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|''Xylella fastidiosa'']]. This disease currently causes the loss of thousands of acres of European crops and currently there is no cure for it.
 
   
 
   
At Aix-Marseille University we thought about developing a solution that multiple aspects. First, we wanted to improve [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Hardware|detection]] of the disease. To do this we use an NDVI camera that will help us to see if the plant is stressed or not. If the plant is infected by [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|''Xylella fastidiosa'']], it suffers from a hydric stress that stops the photosynthesis.
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At Aix-Marseille University, we thought about developing a solution that focuses on multiple aspects. First, we wanted to improve [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Hardware|detection]] of the disease. To do this we used an NDVI camera that would help us to see if the plant is stressed or not. If the plant is infected by [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|''Xylella fastidiosa'']], it suffers from a hydric stress that stops the photosynthesis.
  
Secondly, we want to get rid of the bacteria.  
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Secondly, we wanted to get rid of the bacteria.  
 
Phages are natural predators of bacteria.  
 
Phages are natural predators of bacteria.  
 
They can also be used to transfer DNA into bacteria.  
 
They can also be used to transfer DNA into bacteria.  
Phages have the additional advantages of being strain specific and modulable.  
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Phages have the additional advantages of being strain specific and in some cases customizable.  
As we wanted an eco-friendly treatment,
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As we wanted an eco-friendly treatment
that might easilly obtain [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|authorizations]] for marketing,  
+
to facilitate obtaining [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Legislation|marketing authorizations]],  
 
we decided to create [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Bacteriophages|phage-like particles]] (PLPs), that aren't able to spread.  
 
we decided to create [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Bacteriophages|phage-like particles]] (PLPs), that aren't able to spread.  
So we will construct phage specific to [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|''X. fastidiosa'']],  
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So we set out the construction of a phage specific to [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|''X. fastidiosa'']],  
capable of injecting toxic genes into the bacteria.
+
capable of injecting genes coding for toxic proteins into the bacteria.
  
The main cause of the plants' death, is the hydric stress induced by the accumulation of biofilm into the xylem vessels. To disrupt the biofilm we thought about different solutions. The first one is to stop the bacterium producing any extra poly-saccharide. This could be achieved by [[Team:Aix-Marseille/QS|quenching the quorum sensing]] of the bacterium with the help of a little fatty acid called: 2-cis-decenoic acid. Secondly, we wanted to destroy the exo-polysaccharides. An [[Team:Aix-Marseille/DEPS|enzyme]] coming from a bacteriophage could fulfil the use by the hydrolysis of polysaccharides.  
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The main cause of the plant mortality in the case of an infection by [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|''X. fastidiosa'']] is hydric stress induced by the accumulation of biofilm in xylem vessels.  
 +
To disrupt the biofilm we thought about two different approaches.  
 +
The first is to keep the bacteria from producing extra-cellular polysaccharides.
 +
We achieve this by [[Team:Aix-Marseille/QS|quenching bacterial quorum sensing]] using a short chain fatty acid called: 2-cis-decenoic acid.  
 +
The second approach is to destroy the biofilm's exo-polysaccharides using an [[Team:Aix-Marseille/DEPS|enzyme]] obtained from a bacteriophage to hydrolyse the polysaccharides.  
  
Hence, '''KILL XYL''' simply detects, disrupt and kill [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|''Xylella fastidiosa'']].
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Hence, '''KILL XYL''' simply detects the disease, disrupts biofilm and kills [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|''Xylella fastidiosa'']].
  
 
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Latest revision as of 23:37, 1 November 2017

KILL XYL

KILL XYL project.

Our project KILL XYL is to find a cure for the disease caused by the plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa. This disease currently causes the loss of thousands of acres of European crops and currently there is no cure for it.

At Aix-Marseille University, we thought about developing a solution that focuses on multiple aspects. First, we wanted to improve detection of the disease. To do this we used an NDVI camera that would help us to see if the plant is stressed or not. If the plant is infected by Xylella fastidiosa, it suffers from a hydric stress that stops the photosynthesis.

Secondly, we wanted to get rid of the bacteria. Phages are natural predators of bacteria. They can also be used to transfer DNA into bacteria. Phages have the additional advantages of being strain specific and in some cases customizable. As we wanted an eco-friendly treatment to facilitate obtaining marketing authorizations, we decided to create phage-like particles (PLPs), that aren't able to spread. So we set out the construction of a phage specific to X. fastidiosa, capable of injecting genes coding for toxic proteins into the bacteria.

The main cause of the plant mortality in the case of an infection by X. fastidiosa is hydric stress induced by the accumulation of biofilm in xylem vessels. To disrupt the biofilm we thought about two different approaches. The first is to keep the bacteria from producing extra-cellular polysaccharides. We achieve this by quenching bacterial quorum sensing using a short chain fatty acid called: 2-cis-decenoic acid. The second approach is to destroy the biofilm's exo-polysaccharides using an enzyme obtained from a bacteriophage to hydrolyse the polysaccharides.

Hence, KILL XYL simply detects the disease, disrupts biofilm and kills Xylella fastidiosa.

  • T--Aix-Marseille--drone.pngDetection
  • T--Aix-Marseille--icon-phage.pngEngineering PLPs
  • T--Aix-Marseille--icon-QS.pngQuorum sensing
  • T--Aix-Marseille--icon-deps.pngDisrupting biofilm
  • T--Aix-Marseille--icon-model.pngModelling