BRIGE: Enhanced Bioplastic Production in Aquatic Microorganisms

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

1032599BentonProject SummaryMillions of tons of plastics are used worldwide each year, with the vast majority being synthetic polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. Synthetic plastics are desirable because they are easy to produce, inexpensive, and have very reproducible mechanical characteristics. There are, however, downsides associated with the use of synthetic polymers including a lack of environmentally friendly synthesis and disposal methods and the reliance on foreign oil for their manufacture. Bio-based natural polymers (produced by living cells) have been shown to have physical and mechanical properties similar to those of widely used synthetic polymers. Biopolymers are biodegradable, making their disposable much easier than synthetic polymers. Additionally, their cell-based production lessens our dependence on foreign petroleum. The major hurdle to the widespread use of biopolymers is an economic one, as their production costs are often double that of natural polymers. Objectives and Intellectual Merit This work will develop an assay to screen aquatic microorganisms for the ability to produce biopolymers. Specifically the following will be accomplished: 1. Create a rapid PCR-based assay to screen for specific type-III PHA synthases, the best characterized enzymes involved in biopolymer synthesis in cyanobacteria. 2. Create custom oligonucleotide microarrays to screen for multiple biopolymer synthesis pathway genes simultaneously in a variety of aquatic microorganisms. 3. Screen a combination of locally isolated aquatic microorganism species, including cyanobacteria, as well as commercially available strains to determine which are genetically capable of biopolymer production. The intellectual merit lies in the fact that this assay will enable a rapid increase in screening locally isolated strains for the ability to produce biopolymers. This will tremendously reduce culture optimization time eliminating a major bottleneck in biopolymer cost effectiveness. Broader Impact This project will broaden the participation among students in groups traditionally underrepresented in engineering disciplines, including women, African-Americans, and Hispanic-Americans. This will be accomplished through: 1. Working with local middle and high schools to identify students which would benefit from exposure to practicing engineers and current engineering undergraduate students. 2. Describing the research needs in Louisiana related to decreasing oil supplies and challenging the middle and high school students to come up with ideas to help solve the problems. Students with creative ideas will receive a small amount of supply money to fund creation of a science fair project. 3. Recruit current LSU engineering undergraduates that will be trained to become effective mentors. After training these students will offer one-on-one assistance to the middle and high school students as they work on their science fair projects. This will have a tremendous impact on the Baton Rouge area, as younger students will be introduced to the excitement of a career in engineering and undergraduate students will be trained to serve as the next generation of mentors.