Register now After registration you will be able to apply for this opportunity online.
This opportunity is not published. No applications will be accepted.
Improving robustness of industrial yeast strains using CRISPR/Cas9
Within this project, the student will alter the expression of different tolerance-related genes by CRISPRi. Eventually, beneficial alterations will be established permanently using CRISPR. Furthermore, strain tolerance will be will be evaluated through cultivations in small scale fermentations.
Production of fuels and chemicals from biomass is a crucial step towards a society not depending on fossil resources. Second generation bioethanol, with lignocellulose material as feedstock, is a promising alternative for first generation bioethanol (made from sugar-based raw materials). However, pre-treatment and hydrolysis of lignocellulose (to obtain fermentable sugars) releases inhibitors that impair the growth and fermentation performance of production host.
In our group, we aim to develop an efficient design-build-test-learn cycle for creating more robust industrial strains, using CRISPR/Cas9 technologies for strain engineering. CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary genome editing tool, that enables efficient and precise genomic modifications. Cas9 is an enzyme that cuts DNA at a specific sequence, determined by the so-called guide RNA. Simply put, by feeding Cas9 the right RNA sequence, you can cut the DNA sequence wherever you want. The cells inherent mechanisms for repairing the break in the genome, subsequently allows introducing novel DNA at the cut-site with high efficiencies. We also use CRISPR interference (CRISPRi), a variant of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology that utilizes a catalytically inactive Cas9 to modify gene expression.
Production of fuels and chemicals from biomass is a crucial step towards a society not depending on fossil resources. Second generation bioethanol, with lignocellulose material as feedstock, is a promising alternative for first generation bioethanol (made from sugar-based raw materials). However, pre-treatment and hydrolysis of lignocellulose (to obtain fermentable sugars) releases inhibitors that impair the growth and fermentation performance of production host.
In our group, we aim to develop an efficient design-build-test-learn cycle for creating more robust industrial strains, using CRISPR/Cas9 technologies for strain engineering. CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary genome editing tool, that enables efficient and precise genomic modifications. Cas9 is an enzyme that cuts DNA at a specific sequence, determined by the so-called guide RNA. Simply put, by feeding Cas9 the right RNA sequence, you can cut the DNA sequence wherever you want. The cells inherent mechanisms for repairing the break in the genome, subsequently allows introducing novel DNA at the cut-site with high efficiencies. We also use CRISPR interference (CRISPRi), a variant of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology that utilizes a catalytically inactive Cas9 to modify gene expression.
Within this project, the student will alter the expression of different tolerance-related genes byCRISPRi. Eventually, beneficial alterations will be established permanently using CRISPR. Furthermore, strain tolerance will be will be evaluated through cultivations in small scale fermentations.
Within this project, the student will alter the expression of different tolerance-related genes byCRISPRi. Eventually, beneficial alterations will be established permanently using CRISPR. Furthermore, strain tolerance will be will be evaluated through cultivations in small scale fermentations.
Contact persons: Elena Cámara (elenaca@chalmers.se) or Yvonne Nygård
(yvonne.nygard@chalmers.se)
Duration: 6-12 months (30 or 60 hp).
Contact persons: Elena Cámara (elenaca@chalmers.se) or Yvonne Nygård (yvonne.nygard@chalmers.se)
Each year the IDEA League offers the students of its partner universities over 180 monthly grants for a short-term research exchange. In general, these grants are awarded based on academic merit. For more information visit http://idealeague.org/student-grant/