Natto is a traditional Japanese food has a huge place in our culture. But could it be more than just a healthy food?
Thrombosis occurs when blood clots form in arteries and veins, clogging the flow. They can lead to other major problems, being responsible for 1 in 3 deaths in Japan, a serious concern in this aging society.
Early-stage treatment drugs have heavy side effects, making healthy diets/exercises from a daily basis crucially important for prevention.
Nattokinase, an enzyme in Japanese fermented food natto, is known for its powerful fibrinolytic activity to break down blood clots, without adverse side effects. Researchers have focused on its potential as an antithrombotic agent, but complicated extraction methods and underdeveloped methods to engineer B. subtilis natto have limited its use.
B. subtilis natto is the bacteria that produces nattokinase during fermentation of soybeans. It is one of the highly consumed non-pathogenic, probiotic bacteria. However, B. subtilis natto is not a widely used chassis due to its poor natural genetic competence and lack of cloning methods.
Our goal is to engineer B. subtilis natto to
overproduce nattokinase and implement them into the
product: teabag. Integrated into daily consumption, this
can ameliorate the world’s thrombosis prevention, while simultaneously
advancing the synthetic biology community with this creative chassis.
Our goal is to form a product that is vital for future
health of Japan and the world, linking the power of synbio
with people's lives using NattoKinase.
iGEM Grand Tokyo
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