Difference between revisions of "Team:UChile-OpenBio/Description"
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<h4>Advantages</h4> | <h4>Advantages</h4> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
− | <li>Fossil plastics could be replaced in the long term by biodegradable plastics such as PLA, ending up with the environmental contamination associated | + | <li>Fossil plastics could be replaced in the long term by biodegradable plastics such as PLA, ending up with the environmental contamination associated.</li> |
<li>The cares provided by the medical area could be improved by the expansion of biocompatible prosthesis made of PLA.</li> | <li>The cares provided by the medical area could be improved by the expansion of biocompatible prosthesis made of PLA.</li> | ||
− | <li>Digital fabrication laboratories could have better access to their feedstock (the PLA) which could promote the fabrication of Open Tools and the society empowering | + | <li>Digital fabrication laboratories could have better access to their feedstock (the PLA) which could promote the fabrication of Open Tools and the society empowering.</li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
<h4>Desadvantages</h4> | <h4>Desadvantages</h4> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
− | + | The team does not currently know what will be the nature of the produced PLA nor how will react the bacterias to the genetic modifications that have been made, so at least two consequences should be considered: | |
<li>The biologic production of the PLA can lead to a non-utilizable bioplastic (physical state, purity, properties,…)</li> | <li>The biologic production of the PLA can lead to a non-utilizable bioplastic (physical state, purity, properties,…)</li> | ||
<li>Every engineered biologic system presents human and environmental risks and must be controlled by safety rules. However it is difficult to have a complete control over the biologic system, even with the safety system implemented (any aleatory mutation can inhibit it).</li> | <li>Every engineered biologic system presents human and environmental risks and must be controlled by safety rules. However it is difficult to have a complete control over the biologic system, even with the safety system implemented (any aleatory mutation can inhibit it).</li> |
Revision as of 00:55, 20 July 2015
![OpenBio Uchile PLA Project](https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/b/b0/Cabecera.png)
Project description
Overview of 2015 UChile-OpenBio Team Project
Nowadays, fossil plastic contamination is still an issue. Each year, 130 million tons of plastics are produced in the world, which last between 500 to 1000 years in degrading, polluting our entire environment. A sustainable initiative is to produce biodegradable plastics, however the current synthesis process (chemical and biological) is complex and expensive. For this reason, the team UChile-OpenBio plans to engineer a biologic system, enabling it to degrade glucose in order to produce and export into the medium a biodegradable plastic called PLA. In the future the team hopes to replace the glucose for a renewable resource, the dun algae, which is located on the Chilean coasts. The aim is, in the long term, to implement a simple and cheaper system to produce bioplastic. This way, the team would help fighting the contamination due to fossil plastics.Background
Each year, 130 million tons of plastics[1] are produced, which last between 500 to 1000 years in degrading[2] and are responsible for the death of 1,5 millions of marine animals all around the world.[3] This corresponds to a Chilean waste of up to 25 thousand tons thrown into the ocean, where it can be brought back to the coast, sunk or accumulated near the Pascua Island.[4] In Chile, the government emitted a ley project to forbid any sell of supermarket bags made of polyethylene, polypropylene and other artificial polymers non-biodegradable, which was accepted in the Patagonian territory last year. [5]
Representation of plastic contamination in the sea (ecologiaverde.com).
Main Goal
For the iGEM competition, the team aims to engineer a biologic system, enabling it to degrade glucose in order to produce and export into the medium a biodegradable plastic called PLA.The project
The team will start with the proof of concept, consisting in programming two populations of Escherichia coli to produce PLA from glucose. In a few words, the first population (in light green) will convert the glucose into an intermediate called lactate, which will be processed by the second population (in blue) to polymerize it into PLA.
A scheme representing the general process of our system.
Potential Impact
Advantages
- Fossil plastics could be replaced in the long term by biodegradable plastics such as PLA, ending up with the environmental contamination associated.
- The cares provided by the medical area could be improved by the expansion of biocompatible prosthesis made of PLA.
- Digital fabrication laboratories could have better access to their feedstock (the PLA) which could promote the fabrication of Open Tools and the society empowering.
Desadvantages
-
The team does not currently know what will be the nature of the produced PLA nor how will react the bacterias to the genetic modifications that have been made, so at least two consequences should be considered:
- The biologic production of the PLA can lead to a non-utilizable bioplastic (physical state, purity, properties,…)
- Every engineered biologic system presents human and environmental risks and must be controlled by safety rules. However it is difficult to have a complete control over the biologic system, even with the safety system implemented (any aleatory mutation can inhibit it).
Future Prospects
As said before, the project presented for the iGEM competition is only a proof concept: the team aims to bring the project beyond the academic field by changing the feedstock to a more sustainable one, the dun algae. What the team will do with the final project is still being discussed.Sponsors
The team can already rely on the support of various institutions:- Centre for Biotechnology and Bioengineering
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
- National Committee of Scientific and Technologic Research
- Sigma-Aldrich Company
References
- El Banco Mundial, 2014. Una bolsa de plástico para asfixiar el mar. [online] <http://www.bancomundial.org/es/news/feature/2014/12/08/bolsa-de-plastico-asfixiar-planeta> [consulted: 14-07-2015]
- Garlotta, 2002. A Literature Review of PolyLactic Acid. Journal of Polymers and the Environment, Vol. 9, No. 2.
- El Tiempo, 2014. Plásticos matan al año 1,5 millones de animales marinos. [online] <http://www.eltiempo.com/estilo-de-vida/ciencia/muerte-de-animales-por-plasticos-lanzados-al-mar/14710998> [consulted: 14-07-2015]
- La Tercera, 2015. Cristina Espinoza. Hasta 25 mil toneladas de plástico anuales se arrojan al mar desde Chile. [online] <http://www.latercera.com/noticia/tendencias/2015/05/659-627978-9-hasta-25-mil-toneladas-de-plasticos-anuales-se-arrojan-al-mar-desde-chile.shtml> [consulted: 14-07-2015]
- Chilean Senate, 2014. [online] <http://www.senado.cl/prohibicion-de-bolsas-plasticas-en-la-patagonia-votaran-idea-de-legislar/prontus_senado/2014-10-23/122842.html> [consulted: 14-07-2015]
- PlasticsEurope. Plásticos - Situación en 2011. Análisis de la producción, la demanda y la recuperación de plásticos en Europa en 2010. [online] <http://www.plasticseurope.org/documents/document/20111107102611-pe_factsfigures_es_2011_lr_final041111.pdf> [consulted: 15-07-2015]
- Serna et al. Ácido Poliláctico (PLA): Propiedades y Aplicaciones. Ingeniería y Competitividad (2003), Vol.5, 16-26.
- Jong et al. Production of recombinant proteins by high cell density culture of Escherichia coli. Chemical Engineering Science (2006). Vol. 61, Issue 3, 876–885.
- Mahishi et al. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) synthesis by recombinant Escherichia coli harbouring Streptomyces aureofaciens PHB biosynthesis genes: Effect of various carbon and nitrogen sources. Microbiol. Res. (2003) 158, 19–27