Team:Lethbridge/projectobjectives

From 2012.igem.org

(Difference between revisions)
(Created page with "<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> <head> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/h...")
Line 39: Line 39:
<div class ="content_uofl">
<div class ="content_uofl">
 +
<div  class="content-wrap">
 +
<h2 id="pagetitle">Project</h2>
 +
<div class="header_subnav">
 +
 +
<a href="https://2012.igem.org/Team:Lethbridge/projectsummary">Summary</a>
 +
<a href="https://2012.igem.org/Team:Lethbridge/projectbackground">Background and Rationale</a>
 +
<a href="https://2012.igem.org/Team:Lethbridge/projectobjectives">Objectives</a>
 +
<a href="https://2012.igem.org/Team:Lethbridge/projectresearch">Research Design and Methods</a>
 +
<a href="https://2012.igem.org/Team:Lethbridge/projectfuture">Significance and Future Directions</a>
 +
 +
</ul>
 +
</div>
 +
</div>
<div style="clear:both; height: 20px;"></div>
<div style="clear:both; height: 20px;"></div>
<div class="content-wrap">
<div class="content-wrap">
<h2 class="pagetitle">Project Overview</h2>
<h2 class="pagetitle">Project Overview</h2>
-
<p>Increasing global oil demands require new, innovative technologies for the extraction of unconventional oil sources such as those found in Alberta’s Carbonate Triangle. Carbonate oil deposits account for almost 50% of the world’s oil reserves and approximately 26% of the bitumen found in Alberta 1. Due to unstable oil prices in Western Canada, these vast reserves have historically been set aside in favour of less time consuming, more economical sites. Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) has been utilized across the world to increase the productivity of difficult resources including carbonate oil deposits. Using a synthetic biology approach, we have designed the CAB (CO2, acetic acid, and biosurfactant) extraction method that demonstrates a modified MEOR method for extracting carbonate oil deposits. CAB extraction will utilize the natural carbon fixation machinery in the cyanobacteria Synechococcus elongatus to convert CO2 into sugars to fuel acetic acid and biosurfactant production in Escherichia coli. Acetic acid applied to carbonate rock increases the pore sizes and allows for enhanced oil recovery. The reaction produces gases that will help pressurize the well site to facilitate extraction. The natural biosurfactant rhamnolipid will also be applied to the carbonate rock to further enhance extraction yields.</p>  
+
<p>The main objective of this project is to develop the CAB (CO2, acetic acid, and biosurfactant) extraction method to minimize the carbon footprint of extracting unconventional oil reserves by coupling carbon capture with MEOR. CAB extraction includes an engineered bacterial system that (1) captures CO2 and converts it into sugars to fuel (2) acetic acid and (3) biosurfactant production for use in enhanced carbonate oil extraction (Fig. 1). In addition, (4) an inducible “kill switch” gene will be integrated into the bacterial genome to prevent environmental contamination. Our engineered cells will be suitable for use in large-scale bioreactors.</p>
 +
 
 +
<p>(1) Our aim is to use natural carbon fixation systems to capture CO2 and generate sugar for MEOR bacteria. S. elongatus will be engineered to produce and secrete glucose at levels high enough to sustain E. coli growth. In addition, the H. neapolitanus carboxysome microcompartment will be characterized for use in E. coli using standard assays and monitored for carbon capture efficiency.</p>
 +
 
 +
<p>(2) Our aim is to use metabolites produced by carbon fixation to fuel acetic acid production by natural E. coli enzymes. To optimize the system for high productivity we will co-localize these enzymes on a scaffold system with a transporter protein from A. acetii to facilitate efficient acetic acid production and secretion for application in oil extraction.</p>
 +
 
 +
<p>(3) Our aim is to utilize P. aeruginosa enzymes to produce the natural biosurfactant rhamnolipid in E. coli. Rhamnolipid production will be measured by established assays and tested for its efficiency to act as a biosurfactant as part of the CAB extraction method.</p>
 +
 
 +
<p>(4) Our aim is to produce an environmentally safe method for MEOR by eliminating the risk of environmental contamination with genetically modified DNA. This will be achieved by genome incorporation of an endonuclease that will degrade bacterial genomic DNA if the cells are exposed to an uncontrolled environment.</p>
 +
 
 +
<p>Insert Image Here</p>
-
<p>By coupling carbon capture with acetic acid and biosurfactant production, carbonate oil deposits can be mined with reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The use of carbon fixation to feed downstream systems can be tailored for use as a module in many applications requiring inexpensive methods for fueling biological systems. CAB extraction will be suitable for large-scale bioreactors, providing an alternative, inexpensive, and environmentally sustainable method for MEOR from Alberta’s oil deposits. Furthermore, developing the carbon capture module will be of interest in oil extraction strategies using steam, as it will help with the mitigation of CO2 release caused by steam production using for example natural gas. </p>
+
 +
<p>Figure 1. Schematic of the proposed CAB extraction method. (A) Atmospheric and recycled CO2 are captured by S. elongatus and converted into energy sources used to fuel production of (B) E. coli–produced CAB products (acetic acid and biosurfactant) that are applied to (C) carbonate oil reserves to break down the carbonate rock, produce CO2 to build up pressure, and increase extraction yields.
 +
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div style="clear:both; height: 95px;"></div>
<div style="clear:both; height: 95px;"></div>

Revision as of 21:16, 2 October 2012

2012 iGEM - University of Lethbridge

Project Overview

The main objective of this project is to develop the CAB (CO2, acetic acid, and biosurfactant) extraction method to minimize the carbon footprint of extracting unconventional oil reserves by coupling carbon capture with MEOR. CAB extraction includes an engineered bacterial system that (1) captures CO2 and converts it into sugars to fuel (2) acetic acid and (3) biosurfactant production for use in enhanced carbonate oil extraction (Fig. 1). In addition, (4) an inducible “kill switch” gene will be integrated into the bacterial genome to prevent environmental contamination. Our engineered cells will be suitable for use in large-scale bioreactors.

(1) Our aim is to use natural carbon fixation systems to capture CO2 and generate sugar for MEOR bacteria. S. elongatus will be engineered to produce and secrete glucose at levels high enough to sustain E. coli growth. In addition, the H. neapolitanus carboxysome microcompartment will be characterized for use in E. coli using standard assays and monitored for carbon capture efficiency.

(2) Our aim is to use metabolites produced by carbon fixation to fuel acetic acid production by natural E. coli enzymes. To optimize the system for high productivity we will co-localize these enzymes on a scaffold system with a transporter protein from A. acetii to facilitate efficient acetic acid production and secretion for application in oil extraction.

(3) Our aim is to utilize P. aeruginosa enzymes to produce the natural biosurfactant rhamnolipid in E. coli. Rhamnolipid production will be measured by established assays and tested for its efficiency to act as a biosurfactant as part of the CAB extraction method.

(4) Our aim is to produce an environmentally safe method for MEOR by eliminating the risk of environmental contamination with genetically modified DNA. This will be achieved by genome incorporation of an endonuclease that will degrade bacterial genomic DNA if the cells are exposed to an uncontrolled environment.

Insert Image Here

Figure 1. Schematic of the proposed CAB extraction method. (A) Atmospheric and recycled CO2 are captured by S. elongatus and converted into energy sources used to fuel production of (B) E. coli–produced CAB products (acetic acid and biosurfactant) that are applied to (C) carbonate oil reserves to break down the carbonate rock, produce CO2 to build up pressure, and increase extraction yields.