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Revision as of 21:31, 17 September 2015
Device
TrApiColi has been designed in order to take into account ethical
reflection, safety and ease of use for beekeepers. The use of
genetically modified organisms in a field, and because our project is associated with
edible products, underlies both applying of regulations and public interest.
In this context, as explain above, we searched a solution being able to isolate our engineered bacteria from
the environment, but allowing its growth, metabolism and gas diffusion. We found the
project of the iGEM Groeningen 2012 team which used the polymer TPX® in
order to contain their bacteria separated of the meat [1]. Thus, we
decided to ask them TPX® characteristics. We finally contacted the TPX® supplier Mitsui Chemicals. We obtained
some samples of TPX® by contacting the company MitsuiChemicals. TPX®, Polymethylpentene (4-methylpentene-1 based polyolefin, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.), is a polymer.
To check if our device can be safe and feasible, several tests have been performed:
- Safety test: Impermeability of bacteria through the bag of TPX®
- Gas diffusion tests: Permeability of butyric acid and formic acid through the bag of TPX®
- Growth tests in TPX®: Culture of the strain E. coli BW25113 can grow in a TPX® bag (ie. in microaerobic conditions, without agitation and miming batch culture condition), as it would be in the field
- Bacterial survival over 15 days in microaerobic condition
- Carbone source test: choice of Carbon source to produce acids during 10 days
- Acid toxicity on E. coli
Trap Construction
Our goal is to create a solution against varroas. In order to use ApiColi to treat varroosis, we designed a trap, named TrApiColi.
Since the production of the two pathways are regulated by day light, our bacteria need to be outside of the beehive. Thus, the trap was made to be placed at the entrance of the hive, in order to prevent the entry of the mites.
TrApiColi is composed of four main parts:
The four different parts of our trap
1. A grid in line with the bottom board
The bees usually enter the hive by landing on the bottom board before walking inside. Because of the alignment of the trap with the board, it does not disturb the bee’s comings and goings. The holes are big enough to let the varroas fall through them, but not the bees.
2. A funnel, to channel all the falling varroas
The grid and the funnel
3. A transparent collector, containing the bacteria confined in a special bag
It is designed like a fish bottle trap: the tube from the funnel goes inside the collector to ease the entry of the varroas in the collector while preventing them from exiting. The special bag is described in "TPX bag" part
4. A roof, to protect the trap from the rain
The dimensions of the trap allow it to be plugged to almost every beehives. Indeed, most of the hive types have the exact same entrance. Thanks to that, the trap can be perfectly plugged to the hive by the beekeepers without drilling or cutting it.
The trap was designed using Catia and then 3D printed in order to build a prototype. It is used as a demonstration device for the beekeepers and the general public. This trap could not be tested because the porous plastic used for 3D printing is permeable to liquids and gases. Moreover, the modeling showed that this version of the trap is yet to be optimized to ensure a proper diffusion of our molecules, see more in "Modelling" part.
The 3D printer used to construct our trap |
Our 3D printed TrApiColi |
TPX Bag
