A biobrick for creatinine metabolization
We identified two heterologous genes encoding enzymes for implementation of a creatinine metabolism pathway in Pseudomonas fluorescens. CrnA converts creatinine into creatine which is then converted by CreA into sarcosine. Sarcosine can then be metabolized naturally by P. fluorescens. We combined the genes creA and crnA into a biobrick that allows P. fluorescens to grow on creatinine as its sole carbon and nitrogen source. By doing this, we valorize creatinine, a compound found in human urine that is so far not being studied in other urine-recycling projects. This achievement greatly contributes to a larger goal of the scientific community: promoting closed-loop processes and upcycling of astronauts’ waste.
An in silico whole-cell model
We devised an efficient modeling strategy which successfully supported and contributed to the project. Our in silico efforts complemented the engineering cycle in multiple ways. They supported design by testing pathways and comparing different alternatives to determine the most efficient choices. Furthermore, our simulations produced essential insights of system function and behavior. Lastly, our predictions were able to guide the design of key experiments and integrated lab results to strengthen the validity of our model. By doing so, we have contributed to providing an example of a successful metabolic engineering modeling strategy in the context of a synthetic biology project. This will support the development of effective modeling initiatives for future iGEM teams.
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A setup for plant experiments
As biologists and microbiologists, plant biology can be challenging. Plant experiments are often difficult to carry out in laboratories not set for this purpose as many parameters need to be monitored and various growth conditions need to be attempted. Discussing with specialists in plant sciences, we designed a cheap setup that allowed us to control the environment for plant growth and test many conditions in common multi-well plates. To encourage future iGEM teams to develop projects at the interface of microbiology and plant biology, we provided detailed and user-friendly guidelines to reproduce our setup (see the page plant hardware) and use our data analysis scripts.
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An iGEM meetup in Toulouse
For the past three years, iGEM Toulouse team has organized a meetup, the Mini Jamboree. Commonly held at the beginning of July, this meetup aims to offer different teams the opportunity to present their project, get some feedback, exchange ideas, as well as to create a space where team members from different backgrounds can talk about their experience and the hardships they encountered. In 2024, we took this meetup to the next level by opening it to international teams. Besides five French teams, we were pleased to welcome in Toulouse one Spanish, one Dutch and two Italian teams. The memories we made and the people we met will forever be part of our iGEM experience.
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A detailed entrepreneurship approach
The great engineering results we obtained prompted us to explore the application and commercialization potential of our BioMoon biostimulant to turn it into a sustainable business. Thanks to our meetings with startup incubators, intellectual property officers, and various stakeholders, we designed a complete entrepreneurship strategy (link to Entrepreneurship page) which, we hope, will inspire future iGEMers, and facilitate the construction of their own business plan to launch a company.
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Strong education & communication efforts
We strived to broadcast our project in a way that was understandable by as many people as possible. We got in contact with the press and media to engage people beyond the scientific community and allow them to discover the power of synthetic biology. By organizing activities for middle schoolers and high schoolers, we nurtured their interest in science and showed them the diverse career opportunities that exist in synthetic biology.
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Participation in the first Space Village
2024 is the first year of the Space Village at the Grand Jamboree. We are proud to be part of the inauguration of this great iGEM initiative with our project BioMoon. Through our wiki site, video’s, and accomplishments, we hope that future iGEM teams will be excited to work on space-related projects. We also wish that our work will show future generations of iGEMers that biological engineering is key in space exploration.
