Team:Calgary/Wetlab Overview



GENETIC ENGINEERING OF OVIITA


Oviita has three main wet lab components that maximize the nutritional value of Yarrowia lipolytica and enable simple and safe cultivation in VAD communities. This year, the COVID-19 restrictions at the University of Calgary prohibited any lab work until September, and even so, lab times were very restricted with only 6 hours/week and a limited number of people allowed at any given time. But we didn't let that stop our wet lab progress! Instead, we designed extensive and thorough experimental plans, including trouble-shooting protocols, so that we could begin making strides as soon as we entered the lab in September! Check out our work below!

CELLULASES

Engineering three strains Y. lipolytica that secrete each class of cellulase enzymes, thus allowing the yeast strains to use agricultural waste as a feedstock for growth and beta-carotene production.

THYMOL PRODUCTION

Introducing the genes that will allow Y. lipolytica to produce thymol as an anti-helminthic agent for better intestinal absorption of vitamin A

BIOCONTAINMENT

Engineering mutual auxotrophy into the Y. lipolytica strains so they become dependent on each other and only survive within the bioreactor and not in the environment.