Trash to Treasure

Project Overview Module 1: Resource-full Waste Module 2: Plastic Fantastic

Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate degradation Polyurethane degradation

PUR EstCS2

Empty vector

Substrate alone

Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate synthesis from waste

Improved Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate production

Europe’s Best New BioBrick Part or Device, Engineered

Our model indicated that J23104 would improve P(3HB) production

SRF waste from POWERDAY used as a carbon source for P(3HB) production

Functional Polyurethane (PUR) esterase with substrate analogue

Constitutive Promoter, BBa_K1149052

J23104 0034 pha C pha A pha B

Our improved Biobrick makes 11 x more P(3HB)

P(3HB) depolymerase (phaZ1) degrades P(3HB) to produce a distinct clear zone in the emulsion plate

P(3HB) depolymerase (phaZ1) degrades P(3HB) into 3HB

Increased 3HB concentration detected

Human Practices & Outreach

• With artists from the RCA, we have designed a range of futuristic appliances, M.A.P.L.E., to empower people to use their own rubbish as a resource.

How could our system be implemented in real life? • We consulted industrial leaders in Materials Recovery, Bioplastic

Production and Biotechnology

• We held a Panel Discussion with a variety of academics and experts to talk about the societal, ethical and technological challenges surrounding our project.

Communicating our project • Featured on BBC radio 4 Inside Science • We founded an art movement BioNouveau • Presentation for Celebration of Science • Online quiz • 5 Waste Offenders recycling posters • What would you 3D print? survey

Many thanks to our sponsors

Many thanks to our advisors

Collaborators from the Royal College of Art

Marcel Helmer, Alexa Pollmann & Neil Thompson

Richard Kelwick, Paul Freemount, Richard Kitney, Alex Webb, Kirsten Jensen, Guy-Bart Stan and the CSynBI team

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Team & Attributions 6

M1: Resource-full Waste

Non-recyclable, mixed waste

M2: Plastic Fantastic

Degradation of non-recyclable, mixed waste into platform chemicals and feedstock for Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate P(3HB) production.

Control phaZ1 lysate The first synthetic biology P(3HB) recycling platform.

Ethylene Glycol sold into industry

Wood, paper & fibres

Polyurethane degradation

P(3HB) production P(3HB) degradation

NEW TEAM PHOTOS GO HERE

Sisi Fan, Jemma Pilcher, Iain Bower, Matthew Chin, Margarita Kopniczky, Wenqiang Chi & James Strutt We subsequently designed several new Biobricks

Hybrid Promoter, BBa_K1149051

J23104 0034 Native pha C pha A pha B

Western Blot analysis suggests that the osmY fusion protein is secreted

PUR esterase in the supernatant

Native Hybrid

Industrial Implementation 5

bdh2

MG1655 transformed with our Hybrid phaCAB bioplastic producing operon were cultured in a bioreactor at Imperial College London

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DuraMem150 PBI-DBX TriSep RO X20

Separation of 3HB via Membranes

Preliminary data in collaboration with Professor Livingstone group, Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London

Monomer detection

Yellow colour change when 3HB is present

Control. Remains colourless