FURI | Spring 2021

Expanding Gene Expression Tools in Cyanobacteria

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Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, a marine strain of cyanobacteria is a great candidate as a cell factory for production of value-added chemicals, such as 2,3-butanediol due to its rapid growth rate. Quorum sensing (QS) systems allow for bacteria to be able to coordinate their behavior based on their population density. This system is less expensive than the popular IPTG-inducible promoter systems because the bacteria induce themselves. Integrating this non-native QS system in cyanobacteria will allow for better understanding of how these systems work and will lead to cheaper, more efficient methods of producing this next generation of sustainable biofuels.

Student researcher

Ashley Straub

Ashley E. Straub

Chemical engineering

Hometown: Mesa, Arizona, United States

Graduation date: Spring 2022