Restoring Earth's Health: How iGEM Teams Have Applied Synthetic Biology for Bioremediation
This blogpost is created by the Policy Research project for the iGEM and SynBio Community
Introduction
The planetary boundaries framework is critical for understanding and communicating the mounting pressures on our planet's ecosystem. As of 2023, an alarming reality has emerged: 6 out of the 9 planetary boundaries meticulously outlined by the Stockholm Resilience Centre have been breached.
These boundaries are not abstract concepts but tangible limits that signify where human activities should proceed with caution to safeguard the Earth's resilience and stability. They embody the precautionary principle, emphasizing the need to avoid trespassing thresholds that could lead to catastrophic ecological disruptions.
In practical terms, this means that within these 6 domains, the notion of a "safe operating space" has become obsolete. Human actions have pushed these subsystems of our planet into precarious territories, endangering the overall stability of the biosphere.
This sobering reality demands urgent attention from the scientific community and society. It necessitates a reevaluation of our environmental stewardship practices, the implementation of informed policies, and a commitment to transformative change. Only through concerted efforts can we hope to restore planetary resilience and equilibrium in the face of these pressing challenges.
The 2023 update to the Planetary boundaries. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0. Credit: "Azote for Stockholm Resilience Centre, based on analysis in Richardson et al. 2023."
What is Bioremediation, and what are we talking about here?
The term "bioremediation" encompasses a fascinating process that involves restoring something to a state of health and balance through the ingenious use of biological agents. To put it simply, it's a way of healing the environment.
This intricate ecological practice is designed to address and rectify environmental distress, encompassing domains ranging from aquatic ecosystems to terrestrial landscapes and atmospheric milieus. Its paramount objective revolves around the holistic restoration of biogeochemical cycles and the preservation of biosphere integrity. Bioremediation is an overarching endeavor oriented toward the comprehensive wellness of ecosystems, transcending singular species-centric or narrowly utilitarian objectives, such as agricultural viability.
Bioremediation is like nature's own cleanup crew. It's a method that helps keep our Earth's natural systems in check, ensuring everything runs smoothly. Think of it as the Earth's way of staying healthy. It's like when you get a cold, and your body works hard to return to normal (Bioremediation does something similar for our planet).
This blog post will discuss past bioremediation projects presented at the iGEM competition and how they have designed their Bioremediation to address environmental problems. Real-life examples of Bioremediation are undoubtedly inspiring, and their impact is essential to gauge traction for future projects.
iGEM projects
iGEM organization has been involved in solving the problems of the environment in various ways via producing new ideas and developing them to be accurate and practical. However, let us take this advantage to describe and show how Bioremediation as a biotechnological technique could save the environment and contribute to the sustainability of a safe environment and better health before giving some examples of iGEM projects in previous years. Bioremediation is a biotechnological technique that uses microbes or plants to reduce pollutants or toxic constituents, mainly by converting the toxic chemicals or components into a non-toxic form that may be less harmful to the environment.
In 2023, Bioremediation was announced as one of the new tracks in the iGEM competition. Teams joining this track are aiming to find solutions to the environment. Public health is jeopardized due to the gathering of harmful pollutants caused by human reliance on petroleum-based goods, hazardous agricultural methods, and swift industrial expansion. We congratulate the winners in this year's Bioremediation category: TJUSLS-China (2023) and Heidelberg (2023). Let’s take a look at the winners' projects!
TJUSLS-China (2023) emerged as the Undergrad Winner with a groundbreaking project addressing the global issue of polyethylene plastic (PE) pollution. PE, pervasive in daily life, poses environmental challenges due to its high production and low recovery rate. The team focused on PEase, the only enzyme capable of oxidizing PE at room temperature. The team optimized PEase's thermostability using four rational design methods to enhance its applicability. Employing software for screening and experimentation, they developed 25 mutants, with the most successful variant exhibiting over a 12% improvement. This advancement establishes a foundation for potential industrial applications of PEase, marking a significant contribution to bioremediation efforts.
In the Overgrad division, Heidelberg (2023) clinched victory in the Bioremediation category with their ReMixHD platform. This innovative method employs a co-culture of genetically modified Pseudomonas fluorescens to upcycle mixed plastics. The introduction of polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene-degrading enzymes, coupled with in-vivo biosensors, allows dynamic control of growth factor expression based on monomer concentrations. The main strain utilizes terephthalic acid for synthesizing a recombinant product. The team not only established P. fluorescens as a versatile chassis organism for bioremediation but also designed a cutting-edge genome-scale metabolic model for dynamic co-culture modeling. This pioneering platform technology holds immense promise for sustainable production, development, and environmental stewardship, marking a significant stride in bioremediation.
Here are some more examples from previous iGEM editions where diverse teams worked on bioremediation projects;
In REC-CHENNAI 2022 (India), a groundbreaking biological system was engineered to mitigate heavy metal toxicity in industrial wastewater. It earned them a Gold Medal and the coveted title of Best Environment Project in the Undergrad Division. Meanwhile, Edinburgh-UHAS_Ghana 2022 (Ghana) devised a comprehensive strategy, creating a cell-free biodegradation tool for PET pollution, a bioremediation device for heavy metals, and a cell-free biosensor to detect specific pollutants, resulting in a Gold Medal and a nomination for the Best Environment Project in the Undergrad Division.
Vilnius-Lithuania 2022 (Lithuania) addressed water pollution differently by developing plastic-binding peptides that form complexes to capture and remove nanoplastic particles, earning them a Gold Medal and a nomination for the Best Environment Project in the Undergrad Division. In Aachen 2022 (Germany), a sophisticated biological system was introduced to recycle phosphate from wastewater, producing polyphosphate for industrial use and securing a Gold Medal, along with nominations for the Best Environment Project and Best Hardware in the Overgrad Division.
In the past, notable projects include Waterloo 2020 (Canada), which pioneered a column bioreactor with metal-binding proteins to remove valuable but toxic heavy metals from electronic manufacturing wastewater, earning a Gold Medal and a nomination for the Best Manufacturing Project in the Undergrad Division. Additionally, TU Kaiserslautern 2019 (Germany) developed a revolutionary biological recycling method for PET, a prominent plastic component, garnering multiple awards, including Gold Medal, 2nd Runner-up for the Grand Prize, and Best Environment Project in the Undergrad Division.
These endeavors exemplify the global impact of iGEM teams, tackling environmental challenges through innovative synthetic biology solutions. From deterring uranium pollution in Peking 2016 (China) to enhancing nuclear wastewater treatment in Lyon-INSA-ENS 2011 (France), each project showcases the diverse applications of synthetic biology.
Future Perspectives on Bioremediation
Technological advancements are at the forefront in a world where Bioremediation is a common practice. Continued innovation in biotechnology is crucial, focusing on developing efficient microorganisms and plants capable of remediating diverse contaminants. While genetically modified organisms (GMOs) hold promise, strict regulations and ethical considerations must guide their use to prevent unintended consequences.
Policy frameworks play a pivotal role. Robust environmental regulations should address contamination prevention, monitoring, and remediation standards. Governments can incentivize Bioremediation through financial rewards and liability protection for entities engaging in such projects. Public engagement and education are paramount. Awareness campaigns can inform the public about the importance of Bioremediation and promote support for environmentally responsible practices. Research and collaboration across disciplines and international organizations are vital to address cross-border contamination. Monitoring and adaptive management ensure the effectiveness of bioremediation strategies over time.
However, the best action is always prevention! Sustainable practices are essential, focusing on minimizing negative ecological impacts and embracing a circular economy approach that reduces waste and recycles resources. This holistic vision combines technology, policy, public engagement, and sustainability, developing a path toward a world where Bioremediation safeguards our environment.
