Presented by Team AshesiGhana 2020
Tamisha D. Segbefia¹, Michael T. Dzine¹, Trish Maduche¹, Hannah B. Lormenyo¹, Christopher Anamalia¹, Ebenezer H. Dzanie¹, Rosemond N. Tawiah¹, Jean E. Roberts¹, Esther D. Mensah¹, Ronny P. K. Panford¹, Elena Rosca, PhD²
¹iGEM Student Team Member, ²iGEM Team PI
Abstract
Did you know that each year, more than 8 million tons of plastic waste are dumped into the ocean, harming the marine ecosystem? In response, the sea seems to be fighting back through coastal erosion, threatening human settlements worldwide.
This project aims to design a living sea defense system (bio-concrete tetrapods) by incorporating organisms capable of carrying out plastics and bio-cementation bioremediation. Several plasmids will be designed to break down the plastic and carry out the biocementation process. We are also looking at using different promoters: constitutive promoters, pH-inducible promoters to maintain the optimal pH for the ecosystem, and light-inducible promoters to enable the self-repairing feature of the tetrapods once cracks form. We are aiming to identify the conditions necessary to initiate the ecosystem and to make it self-balancing.
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Revision as of 02:01, 10 November 2020
Poster: AshesiGhana
The CoastBusters
Welcome to our interactive poster! Please feel free to click on any section in order to learn more! Happy reading!
The CoastBusters: Saving the Coast One Bottle at a Time
Introduction
Our project aims at tackling two significant issues that affect Ghana and the nations of Africa at large: coastal erosion and plastic pollution. As such, we are taking action by designing and engineering a bioluminescent, self-repairing, bioconcrete tetrapod. The aim of this project is that these tetrapods will be lined along the coast to serve as a sea defense system against the crashing waves. We also incorporated plastic degradation into this design to slowly reduce the overall amount of stray plastic in Ghana.
Project Goals
Project Goals
- We are providing a solid foundation for next year’s team who would have access to the lab.
- We are exploring the combination of plastic and biocementation remediation in a single project.
- We are developing & understanding a model for the system.
- We are perfecting the genetic design of the project.
Coastal Erosion
Over the past 12 years, the village of Fuveme has seen 42% of its housing destroyed, and 37% of the land is covered by the sea. Once known for its thriving fishing population, Fuveme is now on the brink of survival, fighting to protect the lives and settlements of its villagers.
Unfortunately, with the exception of those who live in coastal areas, most Ghanaians are not aware of these problems. The government has invested over 200 million dollars to tackle this issue, but solving the problem would take a lot more effort.
Unfortunately, with the exception of those who live in coastal areas, most Ghanaians are not aware of these problems. The government has invested over 200 million dollars to tackle this issue, but solving the problem would take a lot more effort.
Plastic Pollution
Plastic pollution has plagued the nation of Ghana and nations of Africa at large for many years. According to a 2019 UNDP report, Ghana generates about 1 million tonnes of plastic each year [1]. Less than 5% of this is recycled, and over 20% ends up in the sea. As if that wasn’t enough, coastal erosion threatens many coastal villages in Ghana and Africa.
Over 8 million tonnes of single-use plastics have been dumped over time into the sea in Ghana, killing thousands of fish and other marine life. Most plastics comes from water bottles and sachets of water. The team carried out a survey and interviewed its major stakeholders, the people living in coastal villages, to verify the intensity of the problems and the results are as on the pie chart.
A majority of the survey's respondents believe that the issue of plastic pollution is very severe, and this is something we as a team have noticed. It is why we decided that an aspect of our project would tackle plastic pollution.
Over 8 million tonnes of single-use plastics have been dumped over time into the sea in Ghana, killing thousands of fish and other marine life. Most plastics comes from water bottles and sachets of water. The team carried out a survey and interviewed its major stakeholders, the people living in coastal villages, to verify the intensity of the problems and the results are as on the pie chart.
A majority of the survey's respondents believe that the issue of plastic pollution is very severe, and this is something we as a team have noticed. It is why we decided that an aspect of our project would tackle plastic pollution.
Idea
In order to tackle the two issues, plastic pollution and coastal erosion, we decided to engineer a series of bacteria that would make it possible to design and build bioconcrete tetrapods. These tetrapods have three distinct features:
Our hope is to line these tetrapods along the coastline to serve as a sea defense system against the raging waves.
- Plastic Degradation Capability: By engineering V. natriegens with the relevant genes for PETase and MHETase, we give our tetrapod the ability to break down shredded plastic that has been placed into the sand mixture. Our hope is that as more tetrapods are made, the overall amount of stray plastic littering the coastline and sea of Ghana and African will reduce.
- Self-Repairing Ability: Another set of engineered V. natriegens bacteria contains ureolytic genes that make it possible for the bacterium to undergo biocementation. This is especially helpful because biocementation helps the brick to be self-repairing and to patch up cracks that will form as the waves beat against the tetrapods.
- Bioluminescence: In thinking of a solution, we realized that we didn't want to just protect the coast; we wanted to beautify it as well. A bioluminescent bacterium gives the tetrapod an added aesthetic touch.
Our hope is to line these tetrapods along the coastline to serve as a sea defense system against the raging waves.
Genetic Design and Modelling
Vibrio natriegens Design
Main Focus of the Design
To equip two different groups of V. natriegens with PETase and MHETase genes from Ideonella sakaiensis to carry out (i) plastic (PET) degradation and UreABC genes from Sporosarcina pasteurii to carry (ii) biocementation respectively.Plastic Degradation Design
PETase and MHETase genes under a constitutive promoter
This part enables the bacteria to degrade polyethylene terephthalate constantly.
PETase and MHETase genes under alx (high pH-inducible) promoter
This part enables the bacteria to degrade polyethylene terephthalate only in alkaline conditions.
Biocementation Design
UreABC genes under a constitutive promoter
This would enable the bacteria to precipitate calcium carbonate (CaCO3) constantly. This would be necessary for holding the sand particles to form our [bio-concrete] tetrapod.
UreABC genes under asr (low pH-inducible) promoter
This would enable the bacteria to precipitate calcium carbonate (CaCO3) only in acidic conditions. This would be necessary for holding the sand particles to form our [bio-concrete] tetrapod.
UreABC genes under a light inducible promoter from the fcpB gene
This would enable the bacteria to precipitate calcium carbonate (CaCO3) only when it is exposed to light. This would enable the tetrapod to repair itself when cracks form.
Human Practices -- People & the Solution
Use this section to explain whatever you would like! Suggestions: Safety, Human Practices, Measurement, etc.
Results & Model
Figure 1: In silico gel image indicating the presence of the genes and further confirms that the genes were properly cloned.
Expected Results
We were unable to access a lab due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to test out our design. The following are speculations we made that would be confirmed when we have access to the lab next year.
Figure 2: A graph showing the change in mass of PET with time.
Figure 3: A graph showing change in mechanical strength with time.
Model
Regarding the proposed model, the team set out to build a mathematical model to visualize how transcription rate, amount of bacteria and concentration of enzyme affect the pH of the system.Our system is designed to be self-calibrating; for each bacteria modified for plastic degradation, there is a bacteria modified for plastic degradation with a high inducible promoter. This will enable the bacteria modified for plastic degradation to secrete PETase and MHETase despite the increase in pH produced by the ammonia precipitation during the biocementation process. On the other hand, for each bacteria modified for biocementation, there is a bacteria modified for biocementation with a low inducible promoter. This will enable the bacteria modified for biocementation to operate despite the reduction in pH produced by the production of terephthalic acid during the plastic degradation process.
Hence, the purpose of the model was to determine the right amount of bacteria, concentration of enzyme and transcription rate to maintain the self-calibrating nature of the system constant at all times.
For this first phase of the project, we were unable to get intelligible values for our model. Hence, the math model will be worked on further in the second phase of this project.
Outreach -- Board Game
We created a board game to contribute to the practical study of synthetic biology here in Ghana and Africa at large. The game is titled Board-O-Bact. Board-O-Bact is a multiplayer board game. It is a 20 x 30 inches board game.
The aim of this game is to familiarize junior high and senior high school students with cloning, transformation and bacterial growth. There is a stack of cards detailing the type of promoter, ligase, restriction enzyme, plasmid, ribosome bonding site or terminator you obtain. As you go round the board and obtain the various elements for cloning, transformation and bacterial growth, you will create a bacteria that will degrade a set number of plastic waste. The player who degrades all the given plastic wins.
This game will give students insight into the elements needed to develop a bacteria ; but in this case, to develop and grow a bacterium to degrade plastic.
The aim of this game is to familiarize junior high and senior high school students with cloning, transformation and bacterial growth. There is a stack of cards detailing the type of promoter, ligase, restriction enzyme, plasmid, ribosome bonding site or terminator you obtain. As you go round the board and obtain the various elements for cloning, transformation and bacterial growth, you will create a bacteria that will degrade a set number of plastic waste. The player who degrades all the given plastic wins.
This game will give students insight into the elements needed to develop a bacteria ; but in this case, to develop and grow a bacterium to degrade plastic.
Next Steps
[Insert text here]
References and Acknowledgements
If not already cited in other sections of your poster, what literature sources did you reference on this poster?
Acknowledgments & Sponsors
First, we'd like to recognize our wonderful PI, Dr Rosca, and the 2017 AshesiGhana iGEM team for their help, support, and dedication. We are truly grateful.
Special Mention
- Oasis Studios
- Brothers in Hue
- iGEMINI (Toulouse_INSA-UPS)
- UCL iGEM
- Exeter iGEM
- iGEM Team Heidelberg
- TU Delft
Sponsors