<h3id="4.1"class="anchor">Heavy Metal Biosensor</h3>
<p>For the heavy metal biosensor, we designed a transcription-only cell-free biosensor, that in the presence of cadmium, lead, arsenic or mercury will cause fluorescence by transcribing an RNA aptamer which can then bind to a fluorophore which induces fluorescence. Making a cell-free biosensor also reduces potential risks to the environment and making it transcription-only minimises the device’s necessary components effectively increasing usability as compared to a cell-based biosensor.</p>
<h3id="4.2"class="anchor">Bioremediation</h3>
<p>For heavy metal bioremediation, metallothioneins – metal-chelating proteins obtained from a variety of aquatic species including Mytilus edulis and Callinectes sapidus, formed the basis of the bioremediation device. Cell lysate from recombinant metallothionein-producing E. coli will be immobilised in a cell-free bioremediation cellulose hydrogel. This will effectively sequester cadmium, lead, arsenic and mercury.</p>
<p>For heavy metal bioremediation, metallothioneins – metal-chelating proteins obtained from a variety of aquatic species including Mytilus edulis and Callinectes sapidus, formed the basis of the bioremediation device. Cell lysate from recombinant metallothionein-producing <i>E. coli</i> will be immobilised in a cell-free bioremediation cellulose hydrogel. This will effectively sequester cadmium, lead, arsenic and mercury.</p>
<p>We draw inspiration from the PETase activity first identified in Ideonella sakaiensis (14), where PET can be broken down and converted to monohydroxyethyl terephthalate (MHET) which can then be metabolised into terephthalic acid (TPA) and ethylene glycol (EG). Mutated varieties of the PETase enzyme were synthesised and then extracted from E. coli cell lysate. The PETase varieties were then immobilised on silica beads. These silica beads when placed in water can then successfully break down PET plastic in water.</p>
<p>We draw inspiration from the PETase activity first identified in Ideonella sakaiensis (14), where PET can be broken down and converted to monohydroxyethyl terephthalate (MHET) which can then be metabolised into terephthalic acid (TPA) and ethylene glycol (EG). Mutated varieties of the PETase enzyme were synthesised and then extracted from <i>E. coli</i> cell lysate. The PETase varieties were then immobilised on silica beads. These silica beads when placed in water can then successfully break down PET plastic in water.</p>
<p>For more information on the design of each tool please visit the <ahref="{{ url_for('pages', page='Design') }}">design page</a>. </p>
