Difference between revisions of "Team:Georgia State/Description"
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Revision as of 21:47, 15 October 2019
The inspiration behind our project was the Netflix documentary “Chasing Coral.” This movie illuminated the devastation that is coral bleaching. We realized that this isn’t just a local problem confined to the reef system itself, but also a global tragedy that will affect every individual on this planet. As of right now, there aren’t any practical solutions. Most conservation efforts are focused on preventing bleaching by enacting marine protected areas rather than actually repairing the reefs. Although prevention is key, we’re already way beyond that. We need an immediate solution. Some researchers are investigating the impacts of culturing healthy corals in the lab, then implanting them into the wild. The problem with this approach is that we must wait until a bleaching event subsides before these lab-grown corals can be introduced, and then what if the stressors never go away? GA State’s iGEM team wants a long term solution by genetically modifying the coral’s algal symbiont to be more resistant to bleaching.
The Problem
Coral bleaching, the loss of algal symbionts necessary for the survival of cnidarian reef organisms, is a disastrous environmental issue with global consequences. No single factor has been established as the cause of this catastrophe, but there are a multitude of suspects including increased greenhouse gas emissions and rising seawater temperatures.The Solution
Whatever the cause, we believe a solution may involve genetically modifying the symbiotic microalgae, Symbiodinium, that live within corals.
The Plan
We are establishing both culturing and transformation protocols for these microalgae symbionts. We began by optimizing culturing techniques for Symbiodinium microadriaticum, Oxyrrhis marina (our model organism), and Dunaliella tertiolecta (the food source for O. marina).
