Difference between revisions of "Team:Aix-Marseille"

 
(127 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
{{Aix-Marseille|title=|toc=}}__NOTOC__
+
{{Aix-Marseille|title=|toc=__NOTOC__}}<html>
−
[[File:T--Aix-Marseille--introOliviers.jpeg|800px]]
+
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://2017.igem.org/wiki/index.php?title=Template:Aix-Marseille/flickity.min.css&action=raw&ctype=text/css">
 +
<script src="https://2017.igem.org/wiki/index.php?title=Template:Aix-Marseille/flickity.pkgd.min.js&action=raw&ctype=text/javascript"></script><style>
 +
.igem_2017_menu_wrapper {position: fixed; width:100%; }
 +
.igem_2017_content_wrapper{max-width:none!important;padding:0;}
 +
#home_desc{
 +
font-family: 'Merriweather Sans', sans-serif;
 +
font-size: 1.5em;
 +
background-color: #f6da05;
 +
color: #232323;
 +
padding:1em 0;
 +
}
  
−
Hello !
+
.home_cell{ max-width: 40em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;  }
−
We are the Aix-Marseille University iGEM Team. iGEM (international Genetically Engineered Machine) is a competition created by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where students work together to solve real-world challenges.
+
#bodyContent .home_cell h2, #bodyContent .main-carousel h2 { color: #232323; }
 +
.icons{max-width: 9em;width:auto;}
 +
.plants-icons { display: flex; justify-content: space-around; }
 +
.illus { display: flex; justify-content: center; }
  
−
This year, our team is composed of 30 students coming from different scientific fields such as biochemistry, neurobiology, bioinformatics, chemistry, cell biology and computer science, and we want to find a solution to ''Xylella fastiosa'' a harmful plant pathogen.  
+
.plants-icons img {animation: xylella 3s steps(4, start) infinite;}
 +
@keyframes xylella {
 +
  to {
 +
    filter: sepia(100%);
 +
  }
 +
}
 +
.home_catbox {
 +
display: flex;
 +
justify-content: space-between;
 +
margin-top: 2em;
 +
}
  
−
==Insight into one of the most virulent plant pathogens==
+
.home_catitem { position: relative; width: 30%;  }
  
−
[[File:T--Aix-Marseille--Xylellamedley.jpeg|400px]]
+
.home_catitem img { transition: all 0.4s ease; filter: brightness(80%); }
  
−
Nerium oleander infected with deadly strain of bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, from Pompilid.
 
−
ELLIOT W. KITAJIMA, UNIV. SAO PAULO. Bevan, M. Plant pathology: The bugs from Brazil. Nature 406, 140–141 (2000)
 
−
James Lindsey at Ecology of Commanster
 
  
 +
.home_catitem button {
 +
    background-color: transparent;
 +
    border: none;
 +
    color: white;
 +
    padding: 0;
 +
    text-align: center;
 +
    text-decoration: none;
 +
    display: inline-block;
 +
    margin: 0;
 +
    cursor: pointer;
 +
    appearance: none;
 +
}
  
 +
.home_catitem button:active, .home_catitem button:focus { outline: 0 }
  
−
''Xylella fastidiosa'' is a bacterium that infects plants, causing a variety of diseases in over 150 plant species, including olive trees, grapevines, citrus, almond trees, coffee plant, and many other economically important species. The diseases have many names: Pierce’s Disease of grape, citrus variegated chlorosis, phony peach disease, periwinkle wilt, almond leaf scorch, oleander leaf scorch and coffee leaf scorch, but are all caused by the same bacteria. ''X. fastidiosa'' is transmitted from plant to plant by Xylem-feeding insects.
+
.home_catitem button:hover img, .home_catitem button:focus img, .home_catitem button:active img { filter: brightness(120%); transition: all 0.4s ease; }
  
−
Although ''X. fastidiosa'' has been recognized as a serious pathogen, there is no effective management strategy, due in part to a limited understanding of ''X. fastidiosa'' host-plant interactions affecting virulence and pathogenesis. There are no methods proven to cure trees from ''X. fastidiosa infection''. The removal of infected trees is generally ineffective in reducing the spread of disease within a plot because ''X. fastidiosa'' is primarily spread by insects.
+
.home_catitem .caption { display:block; position: absolute; bottom: 0; background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); width:100%; color: #fff;
 +
font-family: 'Merriweather Sans', sans-serif;
 +
font-size: 1.5em;
 +
height: 2em;
 +
display: flex;
 +
align-items: center;
 +
padding: 0.5em;
 +
}
  
−
Given the current risk of ''X. fastidiosa'' spreading, our project is to develop an effective and environmentally friendly cure for the disease.  
+
.home_catitem img { width: 100%; }
 +
.carousel-main { margin: 0 auto; }
 +
.carousel-cell { max-width: 45em; padding: 0 2.5em; margin-right: 5%; width: 100%; opacity: 0.2; }
 +
.carousel-cell.is-selected { opacity: 1; }
 +
.flickity-page-dots { display: none; }
  
−
==Using phages against ''Xylella fastidiosa''==
+
/* big buttons, no circle */
 +
.flickity-prev-next-button {
 +
  width: 100px;
 +
  height: 100px;
 +
  background: transparent;
 +
}
 +
.flickity-prev-next-button:hover {
 +
  background: transparent;
 +
}
 +
/* arrow color */
 +
.flickity-prev-next-button .arrow {
 +
  fill: #232323;
 +
}
 +
.flickity-prev-next-button.no-svg {
 +
  color: #232323;
 +
}
 +
/* hide disabled button */
 +
.flickity-prev-next-button:disabled {
 +
  display: none;
 +
}
  
−
[[File:T--Aix-Marseille--M13.jpeg |400px]]
+
.fact-icons { background: #232323; color: #fff; padding: 1em; }
 +
.fact-icons li { padding: 0 1em; width: 33%; display: flex; }
 +
.fact-icons img { margin-right: 1em; max-height: 5em; height: auto; width: auto; align-self: center; }
 +
.fact-icons .legend { font-size: 0.8em; padding-top: 0 !important; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: left !important; }
 +
.fact-icons .legend b { color: #f6da05; font-size: 1.5em;  }
  
−
Chopin, M.-C. J. Bacteriol. 184, 2030–2033 (2002).
+
@media screen and (max-width: 60em) {
 +
    .row-icons ul { flex-direction: column; align-items: left; }
 +
    .row-icons ul li { width: 100%; margin: 0.5em 0; }
 +
}
  
 +
.igem_2017_content_wrapper #home_desc a, .igem_2017_content_wrapper #home_desc a:visited { color: #fefefe }
 +
.igem_2017_content_wrapper #home_desc a:hover, .igem_2017_content_wrapper .home_cell a:focus { color: #232323 }
  
 +
</style>
 +
<script>
 +
$(document).ready(function() {
 +
var carouselelm = $('.main-carousel');
 +
var catboxelm = $('.home_catbox');
 +
var $carousel = carouselelm.flickity();
  
−
''Xylella fastidiosa'' is currently causing an epidemic that lacks any effective management strategy. One solution consistent with the objective of iGEM is to engineer a phage both specific and lethal to the bacterium, but without posing any harmful effects to associated beneficial microflora.
+
$('.home_catbox').on( 'click', '.button-motivation', function() {
 +
    $carousel.flickity( 'select', 0 );
 +
    carouselelm.show();
 +
    catboxelm.css("marginTop", "0");
 +
    $('html, body').animate({
 +
        scrollTop: $("#carousel-anchor").offset().top-50
 +
    }, 1000);
 +
});
  
−
Bacteriophages are a class of extremely specific viruses that infect bacteria and lack the ability to infect more complex organisms such as mammals. This approach to the problem seems very promising.
+
$('.home_catbox').on( 'click', '.button-project', function() {
 +
    $carousel.flickity( 'select', 1 );
 +
    carouselelm.show();
 +
    catboxelm.css("marginTop", "0");
 +
    $('html, body').animate({
 +
        scrollTop: $("#carousel-anchor").offset().top-50
 +
    }, 1000);
 +
});
  
−
So what is the purpose of our group ? We aim is to create phage-like particles that will be efficient and non-replicative but kill ''X. fastidiosa''. This will give us a safe and biological treatment able to cure the disease caused by the bacteria in over 100 species of plant including olive trees and grape vines. This will reduce the economic consequences for producers, while maintaining the high quality of their products.
+
$('.home_catbox').on( 'click', '.button-hp', function() {
 +
    $carousel.flickity( 'select', 2 );
 +
    carouselelm.show();
 +
    catboxelm.css("marginTop", "0");
 +
    $('html, body').animate({
 +
        scrollTop: $("#carousel-anchor").offset().top-50
 +
    }, 1000);
 +
});
  
−
==Disrupt the biofilm==
+
carouselelm.hide();
  
−
[[File:T--Aix-Marseille--BioFlim.jpeg |400px]]
+
});
 +
</script>
 +
<div id="home_head">
 +
<h1><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/b/b1/T--Aix-Marseille--logohome.png" alt="iGEM Aix-Marseille 2017"></h1>
 +
</div>
 +
<div id="home_desc">
 +
<div class="home_cell">
 +
<p>At the Aix-Marseille University, we use synthetic biology to cure plants of a disease caused by the plant pathogen <i>Xylella fastidiosa</i>.</p>
 +
</div>
  
−
CDC/ Rodney M. Donlan, Ph.D.; Janice Carr (PHIL #7488), 2005.
+
</html>
 +
<div class="row-icons white-icons fact-icons">
 +
* [[File:T--Aix-Marseille--home--olive.png|link=]] <div class="legend">'''350+ host plant species''' affected</div>
 +
* [[File:T--Aix-Marseille--home--deadtree.png|link=]] <div class="legend">'''450 000 acres''' of olive groves killed in an Italian outbreak (Apulia region)</div>
 +
* [[File:T--Aix-Marseille--home--dollar.png|link=]] <div class="legend">'''US$ 104 million/year''' of losses in grape production and measures for disease prevention in California</div>
 +
</div><html><a id="carousel-anchor" name="carousel-anchor"></a></html>
 +
<div class="main-carousel" id="carousel">
 +
<div class="carousel-cell">
 +
==Motivation==
 +
[[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|''Xylella fastidiosa'']] is a '''major threat for agriculture'''.
  
−
===A Quorum sensing approach===
+
This bacterium infects plants, causing a variety of damages in '''vinyards''', '''olive groves''' and in over 300 other species. It has been widespread in the '''Americas''' for many years and is also present in '''Asia''' and '''Europe'''.
  
−
Quorum sensing is a method of communication between bacteria. It is used to coordinate their behaviour. ''X. fastidiosa'' uses this communication to biofilm production and virulence. We will turn the communication against the bacterium. By interfering with the communication using biological products we will inhibit biofilm formation. Some of these products can even kill the bacteria.
+
In 2015, more than '''450 000 acres''' of European crops were lost because of this bacterium. Although [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|''X. fastidiosa'']] has been recognized as a serious pathogen, there is '''no effective cure'''.
  
−
Biofilms are an important cause of mortality, as the xylem provides nutrients for the tree, but they are also important for the spread of the disease. We hope by using this approach to make ''X. fastidiosa'' less virulent and less infectious. Providing a curative and preventative solution.
+
In fact, the only ways to slow down the spread of the disease are: to burn infected plants and those at risk nearby; and to massively use pesticides to kill insect vectors.
 +
</div>
 +
<div class="carousel-cell">
 +
 
 +
==Project==
 +
Our project, [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Project|KILL XYL]] will be a cure for the disease caused by the plant pathogen [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|''Xylella fastidiosa'']].
 +
 
 +
First, we aim to improve the early detection of the disease. Secondly, we want to get rid of the bacterium. For this, we use phages specific to [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|''X. fastidiosa'']], capable of injecting toxic genes in it. Finaly, we will disrupt the biofilm that causes mortality, quenching the bacterial quorum sensing and using an enzyme.
 +
 
 +
Thus, [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Project|KILL XYL]] simply detects, disrupts and kills [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Xylella_fastidiosa|''X. fastidiosa'']].
 +
</div>
 +
<div class="carousel-cell">
 +
 
 +
==Human Practices==
 +
The [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Human_Practices|human practice]] side of our project is crucial to our research.
 +
Therefore, we contacted associations of olive growers, to understand their needs and the expectation they have.
 +
We also asked for help from various [[Team:Aix-Marseille/HP/Interviews|experts]] to help us on our project.
 +
 
 +
We think that [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Engagement|public engagement]] is important.
 +
So we created a survey but we also directly contacted the general public at several different events.
 +
 
 +
Finally, we tested our product in a model plant and investigated the [[Team:Aix-Marseille/Legislation|legal]] requirements for obtaining the approvals necessary for commercialisation in the European Union.
 +
</div>
 +
</div><html>
 +
<div class="home_cell home_catbox">
 +
<div class="home_catitem"><button class="button-motivation">
 +
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/1/19/T--Aix-Marseille--home-motivation.png" alt="Motivation">
 +
<span class="caption">Motivation</span></button></div>
 +
 
 +
<div class="home_catitem"><button class="button-project">
 +
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/f/f1/T--Aix-Marseille--home-Project.png" alt="Project">
 +
<span class="caption">Project</span></button></div>
 +
 
 +
<div class="home_catitem"><button class="button-hp">
 +
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/b/b8/T--Aix-Marseille--home-HP.png" alt="Human Practices">
 +
<span class="caption">Human Practices</span></button></div>
 +
 
 +
</div>
 +
</div></html>
 +
{{Aix-Marseille/Sponsors}}

Latest revision as of 03:58, 2 November 2017

iGEM Aix-Marseille 2017

At the Aix-Marseille University, we use synthetic biology to cure plants of a disease caused by the plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa.

  • T--Aix-Marseille--home--olive.png
    350+ host plant species affected
  • T--Aix-Marseille--home--deadtree.png
    450 000 acres of olive groves killed in an Italian outbreak (Apulia region)
  • T--Aix-Marseille--home--dollar.png
    US$ 104 million/year of losses in grape production and measures for disease prevention in California
  • T--Aix-Marseille--amu-blanc.png
  • T--Aix-Marseille--fsdie-blanc.png
  • T--Aix-Marseille--CTC.png
  • T--Aix-Marseille--sponsor-marseille.png
  • T--Aix-Marseille--sponsor-tulip.png
  • T--Aix-Marseille--cmutuel.png