Synthetic Biology Approach to Create a Hybrid Extracellular Supramolecular Machine to Breakdown Free Mycolic Fatty Acids and a Feedback System to Produce a TB Inhibitory Peptide
Department
Biological Sciences
Major
Biochemical Engineering
Research Advisor
Westenberg, David J.
Shannon, Katie
Advisor's Department
Biological Sciences
Funding Source
iGEM
Abstract
With the advancement of modern medicine tuberculosis is still causing many deaths around the world. Tuberculosis is caused by a Mycobacteria tuberculosis infection that can arise from ingesting or inhaling M. tuberculosis tubercle bacilli. The bacteria then take residence within the body, mainly the lungs, causing painful lesions. The body’s natural defense to M. tuberculosis infections is to ingest the cells by means of endocytes, but all Mycobacterium produce a waxy coating made up of free mycolic fatty acids and the endocytes cannot breakdown the bacteria. I propose to use synthetic biology to create a hybrid protein of the Clostridium cellulovorans’ cellulosome and the peroxisomal multifunctional – protein 2 to be able to breakdown extracellular free fatty acids that will allow anti – TB drugs and endocytes to stop/kill the infectious bacteria. A feedback system that responds to the degradation of mycolic fatty acids will also be made by synthetic biology. This will was the production and secretion of a stem and loop peptide structure, called lariatins, which have been studied to inhibit mycobacterial growth.
Biography
David is a junior in Biochemical Engineering and is the Vice President of the new student design team the International Genetically Engineered Machines team, iGEM.
Research Category
Research Proposals
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Award
Research proposal poster session, Second place
Location
Upper Atrium/Hallway
Presentation Date
10 Apr 2012, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Synthetic Biology Approach to Create a Hybrid Extracellular Supramolecular Machine to Breakdown Free Mycolic Fatty Acids and a Feedback System to Produce a TB Inhibitory Peptide
Upper Atrium/Hallway
With the advancement of modern medicine tuberculosis is still causing many deaths around the world. Tuberculosis is caused by a Mycobacteria tuberculosis infection that can arise from ingesting or inhaling M. tuberculosis tubercle bacilli. The bacteria then take residence within the body, mainly the lungs, causing painful lesions. The body’s natural defense to M. tuberculosis infections is to ingest the cells by means of endocytes, but all Mycobacterium produce a waxy coating made up of free mycolic fatty acids and the endocytes cannot breakdown the bacteria. I propose to use synthetic biology to create a hybrid protein of the Clostridium cellulovorans’ cellulosome and the peroxisomal multifunctional – protein 2 to be able to breakdown extracellular free fatty acids that will allow anti – TB drugs and endocytes to stop/kill the infectious bacteria. A feedback system that responds to the degradation of mycolic fatty acids will also be made by synthetic biology. This will was the production and secretion of a stem and loop peptide structure, called lariatins, which have been studied to inhibit mycobacterial growth.
