Cloning and Expression of Clostridium thermocellum CelA — Presentation Detail — Celebration of Scholars

Instructions

Student presentations must have a faculty sponsor.

Abstracts must include a title and a description of the research, scholarship, or creative work. The description should be 150-225 words in length and constructed in a format or style appropriate for the presenter’s discipline.

The following points should be addressed within the selected format or style for the abstract:

A clear statement of the problem or question you pursued, or the scholarly goal or creative theme achieved in your work.
A brief comment about the significance or uniqueness of the work.
A clear description of the methods used to achieve the purpose or goals for the work.
A statement of the conclusions, results, outcomes, or recommendations, or if the work is still in progress, the results you expect to report at the event.

Presenter photographs should be head and shoulder shots comparable to passport photos.

Additional Information

More information is available at carthage.edu/celebration-scholars/. The following are members of the Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Committee who are eager to listen to ideas and answer questions:

Jun Wang
Kim Instenes
John Kirk
Nora Nickels
Andrew Pustina
James Ripley

Cloning and Expression of Clostridium thermocellum CelA

Name: Meredyth Wenta
Major: Biology
Hometown: Kenosha, WI
Faculty Sponsor:
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Independent research

Name: Rehnaz Jiwani
Major: Biology
Hometown: Kenosha, WI
Faculty Sponsor:
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Independent research

Abstract

Cellulose is a polysaccharide of glucose which is responsible for a large portion of our organic food supply. Breaking down cellulose allows for abundance of simple sugars which are used for energy. However, only certain organisms posses the necessary enzyme, cellulase, to break down cellulose into usable energy components. Cellulase specializes in hydrolyzing the complex polysaccharide into monosaccharide units. The cellulase from Clostridium thermocellum, CelA, was cloned into plasmid pUC18 using molecular genetic techniques. The clone will then be transformed into bacteria and tested to determine the ability for the cells to break down the components of cellulose. This cloning will allow for the expression of cellulase and breakdown of cellulose and can be used as a means of fermentation and ethanol production. Long term, this project offers a means of relinquishing the global reliance on petroleum by offering natural alternatives, leading to a decrease in pollution. In addition, the cellulase-producing clones can be used to minimize the amount of waste byproducts from sugarcane extraction.

Poster file