Team:NWU-China
Patients of Phenylketonuria (PKU) are unable to properly metabolize phenylalanine (Phe), and its abnormal metabolites will accumulate in the body and result in pernicious effect on the body health. And Phe will excrete with urine. Therefore, the amount of Phe in patient’s diet needs to be strictly controlled. Patients need to go to hospital for blood test in order to monitor the metabolic situation of Phe, which is not only a big inconvenience for every PKU family, but also has a negative effect on patients’psychology.
As a result, this year NWU-China team wants to accomplish a household biosensor to detect Phe and its ketone acid in the urine. Our system contains: Tyrosine expression system and Phe expression system. In order to add applicability in daily life, we plan to use colorimetric card, a new reporting system which can lower some effects to the result of the biosensor, such as bacteria concentration, growth time and visual differences.
