Difference between revisions of "Team:Westminster"

Westminster University would like to introduce Electrocoli 2015 iGEM team. Welcome to our page, here you can find out more information and follow our progress.

The iGEM competition encourages undergraduates to design new biological systems either by constructing their own genetic parts or improving already existing parts in the iGEM Registry. Our project involves isolating an electron transport pathway called MtrCAB from Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and introducing it into Escherichia coli. Shewanella oneidensis is an exoelectrogen bacteria, meaning they have the ability to convert chemical energy such as organic carbon sources into electrical energy, and the MtrCAB pathway, along side protein components CymA and OmcA, is what enables them to do so. By introducing this pathway into E.coli, we hope to increase the transfer of electrons and thus the level of electricity produced. The modified E.coli would then be placed in a bio-electrochemical device- microbial fuel cell (MFC)- where the electrical energy would be harvested. This means electricity and clean water could be produced from wastewater sources and could have massive implication in developing countries or for long distance space travel. This project not only touches upon the here and now but we hope will be a source of inspiration for future teams, and will be a positive contribution to research in renewable energy and environmental issues overall.