Team:METU Turkey

Welcome!
We are Team METU_Turkey!

Project Description

As an autoimmune disease, celiac disease is sensitivity to grains such as wheat rye and barley that have gliadin which is a glycoprotein complex rich in proline and glutamine, especially alpha-2-gliadin. Alfa-2-glaidin basically binds to a specific receptor called HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8. This is because tTG alter the alfa-2-gliadin’s charge density which results in highly negative charges. This negative charge density creates significant binding effect to alfa-2-gliadin to HLA-DQ2 OR HLA-DQ8. This receptor is an important key component of the immune system, which has loci at chromosome 6. Epitopes of that receptor create cellular signaling pathway which results in increase of T and B-cells. These important immune cells eventually kill the specific antigens presented cells. Thus, in order to prevent this autoimmune disorder, our project aims to destroy these specific subunits of gluten before the intake of food. This will be accomplished by adding specific enzymes’ genes to E.coli’s genome. Then, E.coli will be added into dough while it is in fermentation process. So during the process of fermentation, specific enzymes’ genes will be transcribed and they will break down the gluten. To sum up, with the specific enzyme, which is expressed by E.coli, will alter and brake down the specific protein subunit which is a key component of celiac disease, . In addition, we would like to improve the consistency of gluten-free bread by letting bacteria secrete additives. For the efficiency of the gluten destruction process, the homogenization of dough will also be improved by the bacteria secretion of additives. Last but not least, receptor complex within E.coli is going to be designed and this will enable the bacteria to express a receptor which is like HLA-DQ; in order to detect whether there is a gluten or not.

Lets eat some Gluten-Free Biscuits

"Good day to you, hobbits! Today is Frodo's 73. birthday. Why don't we celebrate this wonderful day with cakes and pies and bread that I brought along?" said Aragorn, then he immediately noticed the grim in the Hobbits' faces. "What troubles you?" he asked. "Why are you all so upset?"
"We can't eat them anymore." said Sam in a bitter voice. "A darkness cursed us. We cannot enjoy these delicacies anymore because of the Balrogluten, they poison us!"
"A darkness, you say." said Aragorn. "I must inform the others. You hobbits go see Gandalf the Grey Yeast. Only he can help you lift the curse."
As Aragorn was riding his horse far from the sight, the hobbits were already prepared for the journey ahead when Gandalf the Grey Yeast appeared out of nowhere.

"Woah, Gandalf. I didn't see you there. Where did you come from?" said Frodo, suprised. Gandalf ignored the question. "We must make haste!" he said. "There is smoke on Mordor. Never a good sign..."
"Also, is that a blazing eye?" Sam tried to point out to the smoke. Something about Gandalf interrupted him. There was hatred in the Grey Yeast's eyes. Is it possible that Gandalf the Grey Yeast found his archenemy, he thought. Is Balrogluten the reason Gandalf became a magical yeast? To fight against him?
Sam shook his head as he got on his ponny. These thoughts are nonsense, he thought.
Then Sam saw Gandalf smiling at him on his horse, nodding his head as if he knew what Sam was thinking about.

Frodo, one morning, saw that Gandalf put a bottle of elixir in his robe, but Frodo didn't ask any questions. As the group was getting closer and closer to Mordor, Gandalf the Grey Yeast started to act even stranger. He was moving in a weird way now, trying to hide something in his robe from the hobbits.
They reached to Mordor. As the heat and hunger rises, they saw the monstrosity. The Balrogluten, 5 meters long, greeted them with a laugh.
"Hello, weaklings... I see you brought my archenemy. I wonder what's in your robes, Gandalf the Grey Yeast! I wonder what you can do to defeat me." said Balrog, spitting fire.

"Good day to you, hobbits! Today is Frodo's 73. birthday. Why don't we celebrate this wonderful day with cakes and pies and bread that I brought along?" said Aragorn, then he immediately noticed the grim in the Hobbits' faces. "What troubles you?" he asked. "Why are you all so upset?"
"We can't eat them anymore." said Sam in a bitter voice. "A darkness cursed us. We cannot enjoy these delicacies anymore because of the Balrogluten, they poison us!"
"A darkness, you say." said Aragorn. "I must inform the others. You hobbits go see Gandalf the Grey Yeast. Only he can help you lift the curse."
As Aragorn was riding his horse far from the sight, the hobbits were already prepared for the journey ahead when Gandalf the Grey Yeast appeared out of nowhere.

"Good day to you, hobbits! Today is Frodo's 73. birthday. Why don't we celebrate this wonderful day with cakes and pies and bread that I brought along?" said Aragorn, then he immediately noticed the grim in the Hobbits' faces. "What troubles you?" he asked. "Why are you all so upset?"
"We can't eat them anymore." said Sam in a bitter voice. "A darkness cursed us. We cannot enjoy these delicacies anymore because of the Balrogluten, they poison us!"
"A darkness, you say." said Aragorn. "I must inform the others. You hobbits go see Gandalf the Grey Yeast. Only he can help you lift the curse."
As Aragorn was riding his horse far from the sight, the hobbits were already prepared for the journey ahead when Gandalf the Grey Yeast appeared out of nowhere.

"Good day to you, hobbits! Today is Frodo's 73. birthday. Why don't we celebrate this wonderful day with cakes and pies and bread that I brought along?" said Aragorn, then he immediately noticed the grim in the Hobbits' faces. "What troubles you?" he asked. "Why are you all so upset?"
"We can't eat them anymore." said Sam in a bitter voice. "A darkness cursed us. We cannot enjoy these delicacies anymore because of the Balrogluten, they poison us!"
"A darkness, you say." said Aragorn. "I must inform the others. You hobbits go see Gandalf the Grey Yeast. Only he can help you lift the curse."
As Aragorn was riding his horse far from the sight, the hobbits were already prepared for the journey ahead when Gandalf the Grey Yeast appeared out of nowhere.

"Good day to you, hobbits! Today is Frodo's 73. birthday. Why don't we celebrate this wonderful day with cakes and pies and bread that I brought along?" said Aragorn, then he immediately noticed the grim in the Hobbits' faces. "What troubles you?" he asked. "Why are you all so upset?"
"We can't eat them anymore." said Sam in a bitter voice. "A darkness cursed us. We cannot enjoy these delicacies anymore because of the Balrogluten, they poison us!"
"A darkness, you say." said Aragorn. "I must inform the others. You hobbits go see Gandalf the Grey Yeast. Only he can help you lift the curse."
As Aragorn was riding his horse far from the sight, the hobbits were already prepared for the journey ahead when Gandalf the Grey Yeast appeared out of nowhere.