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Revision as of 03:16, 29 June 2019
Motivation
As students of the faculty of Biological Sciences of the BUAP, listening the problems of the environment and loss of biological diversity caused by the human being is very frequent. We think that, in the same way that we are the source of the problem, we can be the solution providing cutting - edge ideas that are feasible to develop both in short and long term to solve the environmental problems caused by it and leave benefits to society.
Searching for a problem
In recent years the large amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere has led to changes in the marine pH, that is to say, acidification, which has negative effects on biodiversity that resides there. On the other hand, large amounts of plastic that are produced annually end up in the marine environment and since it’s a material that does not decompose easily it tends to accumulate for long periods of time, which has given rise to the well-known “garbage continent”. In our country, initiatives have been implemented to reduce the amount of plastic that is emitted, however, it is complex to imagine what life would be like for the human being without this polymer. We think that solving these two problems, apparently distant, a single solution can be used.
Development
To solve this problem we think of modifying a strain of E. coli to carry out the production of bioplastic from the CO₂ that is found in the marine environment; a high quality and low cost material can be a viable option to replace plastic polymers that generate negative impacts on the environment. This will be carried out in 3 modules: degradation, fixation and polymerization. In the degradation module (Fig. A) carbohydrates like xylose and glucose will be obtained from low-cost sources, such as the organic residues of sugarcane, this in order to provide sufficient raw material to the path of the pentose phosphate and to glycolysis. Both routes of vital importance since the first one provides ribulosa 5-fostato and the second one 3PGA.
The fixation module will take the ribulose 5-phosphate molecule to produce ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate that will be used by rubisco to fix the CO₂ that acidifies the marine environment and thus obtain more 3PGA molecules.
The molecules of 3PGA will be metabolized in the glycolysis for the final obtaining of pyruvate, which, in the polymerization module will be used for the production of PHB's, molecules that can replace the plastic, being these low-cost and biodegradable.
The molecules of 3PGA will be metabolized in the glycolysis for the final obtaining of pyruvate, which, in the polymerization module will be used for the production of PHB's, molecules that can replace the plastic, being these low-cost and biodegradable.
References
Baudel, Zaror C & C., D. A. (2005) Improving the value of sugarcane bagasse wastes via integrated chemical production systems: an environmentally friendly approach. Ind Crops Prod. 309-315.
Antonovsky et al., (2016). Sugar Synthesis from CO2 in Escherichia coli. (Cell 166, pp. 115–125)
Mackey, K.R.M., J.J. Morris, F.M.M. Morel, and S.A. Kranz. 2015. Response of photosynthesis to ocean acidification. Oceanography 28(2):74–91, http://dx.doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2015.33.