Difference between revisions of "Team:Bordeaux/Results"

Line 121: Line 121:
 
         </div>
 
         </div>
 
       </div>
 
       </div>
 
+
      </div>
  
  

Revision as of 20:29, 16 September 2015

IGEM Bordeaux 2015

Project Results

CHOICE OF MATERIALS

crdS, crdA and crdC genes

crdS gene codes the Curdlan synthase.
crdA gene codes a protein which assists translocation of nascent polymer across cytoplasmic membrane.
crdC gene codes a protein which assists translocation of nascent polymer across the periplasm.
crdA, crdC, crdS genes occupy a contiguous 4,948-bp region in Agrobacterium sp. ATCC31749.

N.B. We tried to work on these three genes. However, amplification attempts by PCR were unsuccessful for crdA and crdC genes. So, in a first time, we focused on cloning crdS gene only.

OsmY promoter

In Agrobacterium sp.ATCC31749, Curdlan production is started after a nitrogen starvation in stationary phase. So we decided to use OsmY promoter (BBa_J45992) characterized by MIT 2006 iGEM team which is active in stationary phase and under high osmotic pressure condition. This promoter imitates Curdlan biosynthesis in E.coli without the nitrogen stress.

Figure 1: Growth dependent regulation with three promoters
(Property of MIT 2006 iGEM team)


M63 and LB media

Curdlan production was carried out in two different media: LB medium and M63 medium.
✵ We worked on M63 medium because a mineral salt medium is used on the literature [1]. M63 is a minimal, low osmolarity medium for E.coli, resulting in slower growth rate of these cells.
→ With this medium of known composition we were able to control parameters for the production of our molecule of interest.
✵We worked also on LB medium because this is the most common medium used in the laboratory.

[1] Dae-Young J, Young-Su C. Improved production of Curdlan with concentrated cells of Agrobacterium sp. Biotechnol. Bioprocess Eng. 2001,6:107-111




Figure 2. Optical Densities were analysed each hour after culture inoculation.
As we can see, the growth is much lower in M63 than in LB medium.
✵ For LB medium, we obtained 0.8 OD after 5h.
✵ For M63 medium, 0.8 OD is obtained much later.
→ So, entire process of production goes on 2 days in LB medium and 3 days in M63 medium.

Figure 2: Bacteria growth in two media

LABORATORY WORK
1.Cloning

To achieve our Curdlan production by Escherichia coli, it was necessary to integrate our interest gene crdS controlled by the promoter OsmY in two types of plasmids:
✵ in pSB1C3 plasmid for the characterization of our biobricks
OsmY promoter only
crdS gene only
• promoter and gene
✵ in pUC for production steps
• promoter and gene



3.Curdlan production

The production is done on two steps (in two Erlenmeyer flasks) in order to scale up bacterial biomass and then, to obtain a lot of Curdlan.

In stationary phase, we proceed to a temperature change in order to minimize the persistent bacterial growth, the Curdlan being a secondary metabolite.

2.Transformation

These plasmids are then transferred into competent bacteria E. coli DH5α by transformation. The selection of transformed bacteria is done by chloramphenicol resistance for pSB1C3 plasmid and by ampicillin resistance for pUC plasmid.


To check that cloning work, plasmids are digested with EcoR1 and Pst1 restriction enzymes.

Figure 3:Agarose electrophoresis gel


Figure 3. As we can see, the band corresponding to the piece of linearized plasmid containing OsmY promoter and crdS gene is a bit higher than the band corresponding to the piece of linearized plasmid containing crdS gene only.

4.Purification and Quantitative analysis

To obtain Curdlan, cells were chemically destroyed by NaOH and many centrifugations.
Curdlan purification was performed by neutralization after adding acetic acid.
Quantitative analysis was done before and after purification to compare and eliminate non significant measures (background signal).

N.B. Also, we use a polarimeter to characterize our Curdlan molecule produced.