Difference between revisions of "Team:Aalto-Helsinki/Micelle"
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− | <h1>Micelle</h1> | + | <h1>Micelle Fusions Enhancing the Production</h1> |
<p>Based on the previous studies about this pathway [<a href="http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/140902/ncomms5731/full/ncomms5731.html">1</a>, <a href="http://www.biotechnologyforbiofuels.com/content/8/1/61">2</a>], we knew the propane yields weren’t very high. We thought about trying to enhance the system by looking for homologs for the enzymes, but thought this would be too time-consuming but also not very innovative. We then ran into a research article by Huber et al [<a href="http://www.nature.com/nmat/journal/v14/n1/full/nmat4118.html">3</a>]. The group had designed a synthetic amphiphilic protein that spontaneously formed membrane-like structures inside the cell. These proteins we’re designed quite like membrane lipids: there is a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic end. According to the energy minimum principle, the proteins’ hydrophilic ends will face the liquid phase of the cell and the hydrophobic ends will pack together. This way the proteins will be able to form either a double layer (similar to the double lipid layer) or a micelle.</p> | <p>Based on the previous studies about this pathway [<a href="http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2014/140902/ncomms5731/full/ncomms5731.html">1</a>, <a href="http://www.biotechnologyforbiofuels.com/content/8/1/61">2</a>], we knew the propane yields weren’t very high. We thought about trying to enhance the system by looking for homologs for the enzymes, but thought this would be too time-consuming but also not very innovative. We then ran into a research article by Huber et al [<a href="http://www.nature.com/nmat/journal/v14/n1/full/nmat4118.html">3</a>]. The group had designed a synthetic amphiphilic protein that spontaneously formed membrane-like structures inside the cell. These proteins we’re designed quite like membrane lipids: there is a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic end. According to the energy minimum principle, the proteins’ hydrophilic ends will face the liquid phase of the cell and the hydrophobic ends will pack together. This way the proteins will be able to form either a double layer (similar to the double lipid layer) or a micelle.</p> |
Revision as of 07:48, 13 August 2015