Team:Exeter/Applications
From 2012.igem.org
Line 87: | Line 87: | ||
<div style="text-align:justify"> | <div style="text-align:justify"> | ||
<font face="Verdana" color="#1d1d1b" size="2"> | <font face="Verdana" color="#1d1d1b" size="2"> | ||
- | <p>Polysaccharides have a spectacular range of properties. These properties stem from the relationships between the chemical nature of the sugars within the polysaccharide, their arrangement within the polymer and the arrangement of the polymer itself. Polysaccharides appear in every corner of the natural world and have multiple applications ranging from protection to energy storage.</p> | + | <br><p>Polysaccharides have a spectacular range of properties. These properties stem from the relationships between the chemical nature of the sugars within the polysaccharide, their arrangement within the polymer and the arrangement of the polymer itself. Polysaccharides appear in every corner of the natural world and have multiple applications ranging from protection to energy storage.</p> |
<p> Not surprisingly humanity has taken advantage of their diversity and by doing so created a huge variety of uses within the medicinal, material and consumable sectors, as shown by the wealth of scientific literature available.</p><br> | <p> Not surprisingly humanity has taken advantage of their diversity and by doing so created a huge variety of uses within the medicinal, material and consumable sectors, as shown by the wealth of scientific literature available.</p><br> | ||
Line 127: | Line 127: | ||
- | <p>The potential for new applications or improvements to current treatments across the medical world is vast.</p><br> | + | <br><p>The potential for new applications or improvements to current treatments across the medical world is vast.</p><br> |
<p>Several polysaccharides currently show biocompatible and biodegradable properties, making them suitable for both external and internal functions[1]. Chitin and chitosan have already been studied for their effect on blood coagulation, tissue growth and wound healing[2]. They are now used in wound dressings to aid the natural healing process and chitin, because of its strength and flexibility and the fact it decomposes completely over time is used as surgical thread for stitches. We would suggest an improvement to dressing wounds would be to make an equivalent in the form of a gel, this could then be coated over an open/closed wound. A gel would offer the advantage of being able to use an open-window type dressing thus enabling the injury to be clearly visible and the healing process closely observed. Not only could a gel be used over a wound, it could also be used during extensive surgeries internally on tissue. This could potentially massively increase the rate of healing. </p> <br> | <p>Several polysaccharides currently show biocompatible and biodegradable properties, making them suitable for both external and internal functions[1]. Chitin and chitosan have already been studied for their effect on blood coagulation, tissue growth and wound healing[2]. They are now used in wound dressings to aid the natural healing process and chitin, because of its strength and flexibility and the fact it decomposes completely over time is used as surgical thread for stitches. We would suggest an improvement to dressing wounds would be to make an equivalent in the form of a gel, this could then be coated over an open/closed wound. A gel would offer the advantage of being able to use an open-window type dressing thus enabling the injury to be clearly visible and the healing process closely observed. Not only could a gel be used over a wound, it could also be used during extensive surgeries internally on tissue. This could potentially massively increase the rate of healing. </p> <br> | ||
Line 169: | Line 169: | ||
- | <p>Currently polysaccharides can be found in wastewater treatment processes. Chitin has been shown to decontaminate water containing plutonium and mercury, whilst chitosan is able to remove arsenic from contaminated drinking water and petroleum from wastewater [5].</p> | + | <br><p>Currently polysaccharides can be found in wastewater treatment processes. Chitin has been shown to decontaminate water containing plutonium and mercury, whilst chitosan is able to remove arsenic from contaminated drinking water and petroleum from wastewater [5].</p> |
<p>There is also the potential for polysaccharides to be used in the removal of other heavy metals from wastewater[6]. Imagine if you were able to use polysaccharides to at first detect harmful elements within water, obtain a fast signal to say exactly what was present and then also be able to extract all of the contaminant using a polysaccharide removal system!</p> <br> | <p>There is also the potential for polysaccharides to be used in the removal of other heavy metals from wastewater[6]. Imagine if you were able to use polysaccharides to at first detect harmful elements within water, obtain a fast signal to say exactly what was present and then also be able to extract all of the contaminant using a polysaccharide removal system!</p> <br> | ||
Line 211: | Line 211: | ||
- | <p>Polysaccharides are present in most foods but not just as the notorious “<i>e-numbers</i>”.</p><br> | + | <br><p>Polysaccharides are present in most foods but not just as the notorious “<i>e-numbers</i>”.</p><br> |
<p>They can be used as edible food glues to accomplish many different types of effects from the assembly of food parts (like cakes) to highly decorative pieces of food art. Along with their artistic capabilities polysaccharides also offer themselves to: thickeners, suspension agents, oxidation- and dehydration resistance, and the ability to extend the shelf life of foodstuff [8]. </p> | <p>They can be used as edible food glues to accomplish many different types of effects from the assembly of food parts (like cakes) to highly decorative pieces of food art. Along with their artistic capabilities polysaccharides also offer themselves to: thickeners, suspension agents, oxidation- and dehydration resistance, and the ability to extend the shelf life of foodstuff [8]. </p> | ||
Line 285: | Line 285: | ||
<font face="Verdana" color="#1d1d1b" size="2"> | <font face="Verdana" color="#1d1d1b" size="2"> | ||
<p><br><br>There could be endless possibilities in how polysaccharides can be used to help achieve new and exciting applications. These are some of the reasons why we believe our project could make a fundamental difference in not only the world of synthetic biology but science as a whole. </p> | <p><br><br>There could be endless possibilities in how polysaccharides can be used to help achieve new and exciting applications. These are some of the reasons why we believe our project could make a fundamental difference in not only the world of synthetic biology but science as a whole. </p> | ||
- | <p>The building blocks to take science a step further starts here.</p><br><br> | + | <CENTER><p>The building blocks to take science a step further starts here.</p></CENTER><br><br> |
<font face="Verdana" color="#1d1d1b" size="1"> | <font face="Verdana" color="#1d1d1b" size="1"> |
Revision as of 19:51, 25 September 2012
Polysaccharides have a spectacular range of properties. These properties stem from the relationships between the chemical nature of the sugars within the polysaccharide, their arrangement within the polymer and the arrangement of the polymer itself. Polysaccharides appear in every corner of the natural world and have multiple applications ranging from protection to energy storage. Not surprisingly humanity has taken advantage of their diversity and by doing so created a huge variety of uses within the medicinal, material and consumable sectors, as shown by the wealth of scientific literature available. In this section we invite you to take a brief look at what could one day be possible if a system to design and build bespoke polysaccharides existed. Alex Clowsley, 2012. |