Part:BBa_K152005:Experience

Orange and GFP colonies prove it works! This is easy to see in this part by doing a qualitative evaluation of this part driven by the a strong consitutive promoter (PSBA) or the arabinose inducible promoter (BBa_R0080). Beta carotene is an orange pigment produced by the four genes in this synthetic operon. Additionally, GFP flourescence proves their is complete operon transcription and translation. It was necessary to grow the E. coli DH5alpha cells for more than 48 hours at 37 degrees (on carbenicillin containing lb agar plates) before dramatic colour differences were observed (see below). Further experiments have shown that these same constructs work to produce visible amounts of beta carotene in the probiotic E. coli strain, Nissle 1917.

Applications of BBa_K152005

This synthetic operon was intended to be used to provide alternative sources of beta carotene for human and animal nutrition. Ideally we might be able to talk about golden intestines if large amounts of beta carotene are produced in a real world environment like the human gastro-intestinal tract by a competitive microbe like E. coli Nissle, but fermentation of food before eating could also produce golden foods (like yoghurt or beer). Animals convert beta carotene into an essential vitamin (vitamin A) which is required for vision. Beta carotene is also a powerful antioxidant found to contribute to a healthy diet. If this synthetic operon can be shown to be useful for physiologically significant amounts of beta carotene in diverse microbial species, it could be developed as a novel probiotic for humans and animals who might not get enough vitamin A in their diet. It has so far only been shown to work in E. coli but hopefully other species such as lactobacilli (yoghurt bacteria) can be tested and used in this effort.

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