UCL iGEM 2014

Collaboration with University College London (UCL) iGEM 2014 team in the project Goodbye AzoDyes

The iGEM Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of synthetic biology, education and competition, and the development of an open community and collaboration. This is done by fostering an open, cooperative community and friendly competition.

iGEM’s main program is the iGEM Competition. The iGEM Competition gives students the opportunity to push the boundaries of synthetic biology by tackling everyday issues facing the world.

The UCL team has created an Azo-Remediation Chassis (ARC), a complete synthetic azo dye decolorizing device in E. coli. The ARC harnesses several different independent enzymes (azoreductases, laccases, and peroxidases) that degrade azo dyes and their breakdown products. This allows the development of a bioengineered process preventing the accumulation of carcinogenic azo dye products in industrial wastewater.

Visit: http://2014.igem.org/Team:UCL

and: http://2014.igem.org/files/poster/UCL_Championship.pdf

Azo-dyes are the main synthetic chemical colorant used in the industrial manufacture of clothing, cosmetics, and food. Leftover dyes in industrial wastewater effluent pose both health and environmental concerns, particularly when broken down into their mutagenic and carcinogenic products. Furthermore, current chemical or physical methods of azo-dye degradation are inadequate.

The MET lab paper "Synergistic action of azoreductases and laccase leads to maximal decolourisation and detoxification of model dye-containing wastewaters" Mendes et al 2011 was the inspiration for the Goodbye AzoDyes Project.

We have collaborated by supplying plasmids encoding enzymes of interest and providing guidance in the experimental details.

http://2014.igem.org/Team:UCL/Humans/Collab

This project was the source of inspiration for the 2019 iGEM Edinburgh team

please visit: https://2019.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh_OG/Description