Difference between revisions of "Team:Aachen/Project/Outlook"

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'''Scientific outlook'''
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=Scientific outlook=
  
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In our project, we were able to show that ''E. coli'' is able to grow on methanol and to produce glycogen. The implementation of methanol into the metabolism can be improved by building the [[Team:Aachen/Lab/Methanol/Monocistronic_Diversity_Library| monocystronic diversity library]]. Combinations of promoters with different strengths could be tested and thus the optimal metabolic flux is to be found.  
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In our project, we were able to show that our engineered ''E. coli'' strains are able to grow in the presence of high methanol concentrations and can also accumulate glycogen. The assimilation of methanol into the metabolism can possibly be improved by building the [[Team:Aachen/Lab/Methanol/Monocistronic_Diversity_Library| monocistronic diversity library]].
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We want our glycogen to be used for various processes and different industries. Therefore, we need a reliable glycogen purification method to provide our universal carbon source.
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With this strategy, different combinations of promoters for each gene can be tested.  
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Finally, we could show that the combined strain of our methanol operon and the knockout of one degradation enzyme (''glgP'') is able to grow. Further characterization of the metabolic flux is important to scale-up the process.  
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This way the interplay of protein expression and metabolic activity can be optimized.
  
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Our results indicate that HPLC might be very useful in the optimization of glycogen analytics as soon as a better purification method is developed.
  
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As the genetic tools get more advanced, other organisms can be considered. Next to synthetic chassis organisms, this might also include native methylotrophs such as ''B. methanolicus''. But before glycogen accumulation can be engineered in these organisms, our ''glgP'' knockout strain and the methanol assimilation BioBricks will be valuable tools to further understand the regulation of these pathways.
  
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With our small-scale bioreactor technology, further metabolic engineering research towards a methanol-based bioeconomy will be accelerated.
  
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'''Possible future in 50 year'''
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=Possible future in 50 years=
  
 
The energy price kept dropping and renewable energy became more efficient and available.
 
The energy price kept dropping and renewable energy became more efficient and available.
 
Most of the fuels are sustainably produced by technical conversion to hydrocarbons, which are available in huge amounts.
 
Most of the fuels are sustainably produced by technical conversion to hydrocarbons, which are available in huge amounts.
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The biotechnology and starch based industry is based on a variety of substrates, mainly wastes and glycogen produced from methanol.
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The biotechnology and starch based industry is based on a variety of substrates, mainly wastes and glycogen produced from renewable methanol.
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The arable land that was previously used to grow energy crops is now renatured or used for food crops. The renaturing of area that was a former part of the bioeconomy, now binds a large amount of CO<sub>2</sub> from the atmosphere which brought climate change to a halt.  
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The arable land that was previously used to grow energy crops is now renatured or used for food crops. The renaturing of area that was a former part of the bioeconomy, now binds a large amount of CO<sub>2</sub> from the atmosphere which was essential to begin reversing global warming.
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With the left over arable land and improved agriculture, we can guarantee food security without an extensive use of fertilizers. The decreased use of fertilizers reduced the pollution of rivers and oceans which led to a more stable environment.
 
With the left over arable land and improved agriculture, we can guarantee food security without an extensive use of fertilizers. The decreased use of fertilizers reduced the pollution of rivers and oceans which led to a more stable environment.
  
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{{Team:Aachen/Figure|size=large|Aachen_vision_good_future_v1.png|title=A desirable future}}
  
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{{Team:Aachen/Footer|color=green}}
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{{Team:Aachen/Footer|color=red}}

Latest revision as of 03:28, 19 September 2015

Scientific outlook

In our project, we were able to show that our engineered E. coli strains are able to grow in the presence of high methanol concentrations and can also accumulate glycogen. The assimilation of methanol into the metabolism can possibly be improved by building the monocistronic diversity library. With this strategy, different combinations of promoters for each gene can be tested. This way the interplay of protein expression and metabolic activity can be optimized.

Our results indicate that HPLC might be very useful in the optimization of glycogen analytics as soon as a better purification method is developed.

As the genetic tools get more advanced, other organisms can be considered. Next to synthetic chassis organisms, this might also include native methylotrophs such as B. methanolicus. But before glycogen accumulation can be engineered in these organisms, our glgP knockout strain and the methanol assimilation BioBricks will be valuable tools to further understand the regulation of these pathways.

With our small-scale bioreactor technology, further metabolic engineering research towards a methanol-based bioeconomy will be accelerated.

Possible future in 50 years

The energy price kept dropping and renewable energy became more efficient and available. Most of the fuels are sustainably produced by technical conversion to hydrocarbons, which are available in huge amounts. The biotechnology and starch based industry is based on a variety of substrates, mainly wastes and glycogen produced from renewable methanol. The arable land that was previously used to grow energy crops is now renatured or used for food crops. The renaturing of area that was a former part of the bioeconomy, now binds a large amount of CO2 from the atmosphere which was essential to begin reversing global warming.

With the left over arable land and improved agriculture, we can guarantee food security without an extensive use of fertilizers. The decreased use of fertilizers reduced the pollution of rivers and oceans which led to a more stable environment.

Aachen vision good future v1.png
A desirable future

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