Difference between revisions of "Team:TecCEM/Description"

Microplastics represent a big problem, they represent perhaps one of the biggest dangers of our time. They are generated by the incomplete degradation of materials from cosmetics, bottles, fibers and other plastic related products [1]. Their size varies a lot as well as its composition; however, it is frequently reported that their size is less than 5 mm and usually come from polymeric materials [2]. Microplastics are on everyone’s thoughts and many investigations are focused on trying to solve this problem; including several iGEM Teams. Nonetheless, there’s an issue that isn’t being disused enough: Endocrine Disruptive Chemicals or EDCs.

In addition, we want to design a novel selection marker which includes the use of glycerol and a modified strain of E. coli which can’t metabolize this compound without a selection cassette. The proposed design will allow us to reduce the antibiotic selection markers used in laboratory protocols by instead using glycerol; diminishing the risk to human health by an accidental release of antibiotic resistant bacteria.