Team:Leicester/Description

Project Description

We are The University of Leicester iGEM team. The first part of our project is generating genetically modified bacteria that can colonise the gut without disrupting the bacteria already there. We are proposing to do this by binding the bacteria to surface proteins that are on the bacteria that is already in the gut.

The second part of our project is to use this bacteria as a delivery system which excretes an enzyme called NMNAT. This enzyme is part of the NAD+ pathway and increasing NMNAT concentrations in the human body (via the bacteria) should increase NAD+ production. More NAD+ in the human body, according to some literature, aid in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease as well as helping to combat muscle fatigue.