Engineered genetic bioaugmentation vectors and pathways for bioremediation

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Anthropogenic impact upon the environment is the biggest existential threat to humanity. Contamination of the natural environment with xenobiotics causes significant challenges in terms of containment and remediation. In these polluted environments microbial communities have been shown to evolve and adapt to grow in the presence of xenobiotics by resistance, decomposition and/or assimilation of the foreign substance. Indeed, these organisms can also provide a rich source of degradative and catabolic biosynthetic genes and pathways for use in engineered biosynthetic pathways and hosts for bioremediation.This project will seek to use Synthetic Biology approaches to develop and optimise plasmid-based bioaugmentation strategies for bioremediation of contaminated environments. Specifically, by engineering plasmid-encoded degradative and catabolic biosynthetic pathways, for example to remove heavy metals and assimilation of plastics. This will provide novel approaches for decontamination and also provide circular economy opportunities. Alternative strategies will be employed including Adaptive Laboratory Evolution and use of Engineered Plasmids and Pathways. The evolved/engineered plasmids will then be transferred back into the indigenous bacterial community by conjugation and the impact of the modified plasmids will be studied at both the metabolic and the genetic levels. In parallel plasmid dispersal amongst the indigenous bacterial community will be studied to assess uptake, spread (horizontal genetic transfer) and longevity using genomic profiling approaches. In addition to the scientific research a key part of this PhD project will be to engage with Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) colleagues and external stakeholders such as national and inter-governmental regulatory authorities, NGOs, and environmental pressure groups.This PhD project will provide training in the conceptual approaches, skills and techniques of synthetic biology, plus in broad aspects of biotechnology, microbial gene expression regulation, evolutionary and environmental microbiology, molecular biology and bio-analytical methods. This project would suit individuals interested in future careers in modern environmental biotechnology, and the sustainable bioeconomy.