Team:Exeter

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ExiGEM2012 Homepage

Find out more about the Wellcome 
      Trust

 

Find out how to donate to the Exeter University Annual Fund

 

Find out about the Nuffield Foundation

 

Visit the DNA 2.0 Shop

 

Visit the DNA 2.0 Shop

 

Additional Generous Funding From:

  • Prof. Murray Grant
  • Prof. Ken Haynes
  • Prof. Rob Beardmore
  • Dr John Love
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    Latest News:

    **15/08/12**

    We've put out a request for collaboration on a biobrick/Gibson comparison.

    **13/08/12**

    Ryan returns from his Olympic vacation!

    **10/08/12**

    We say Goodbye to Liam! Great work on the Glycobase. We'll miss you

    **03/08/12**

    We have just presented our 'Human Practices' presentation!

    **30/07/12**

    Our meeting with Dave Parker from Shell went well!

    **25/07/12**

    Glycobase version 2.01 up and running. Ready for some more constructive criticism!

    **23/07/12**

    Flights to Amsterdam booked!

    **20/07/12**

    We hope you enjoyed your stay Emma and Chloe!

    **19/07/12**

    Our genes have been delivered!

    **16/07/12**

    Our two work experience students, Emma and Chloe, have started their week of iGEM.

    **16/07/12**

    Chris Hack, our Nuffield-sponsored 6th form student, has begun his 6-week stay.

    Project Abstract:

    Our aim is to design a system for the synthesis of bespoke polysaccharides in Escherichia coli. We intend to show that a future where designer polysaccharides can be created on demand is not only feasible, but in fact highly achievable.

    The ability to tailor-make polysaccharides would lead to revolutionary technological developments in many fields, such as medicine (rapid vaccine production) and the industrial sector (production of novel materials) to name but two.

    We are using several approaches to demonstrate how this is possible. Firstly we want to synthesise useful existing polysaccharides (such as hyaluronan) in the unfamiliar setting of E. coli. Secondly, to achieve the synthetic polysaccharide, we will implement the addition of glycosyltransferases from different E. Coli to our own sample strain, both individually for characterisation and in an operon, allowing polysaccharide production via the Wzy-dependent system. As well as implementing a full operon for each polysaccharide, we plan to construct an engineered plasmid. This will allow controlled expression of different enzymes, induced through different promoters to enable choice without repeated genetic transformations.

    The complementary dry lab work provides a basis for that of the wet lab and the principle of in vivo synthesis of novel polysaccharides. The generation of a database of enzymes with a user-friendly interface will aim to assist polysaccharide design, leading to a future where any polysaccharide is possible. We are also investigating kinetic models to flag up conflicts in enzyme activities to optimise polysaccharide construction pathways, and we plan to use TinkerCell to explore possible methods of controlling multiple enzyme expression and enzyme expression levels.