R-DetoX

Biodegradation of 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine to mitigate
contamination of the Anones Lagoon in Vieques,
Puerto Rico

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Abstract



Levels of the military-grade explosive RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine) exceeding the EPA’s established limits have been detected at the Anones Lagoon in Vieques, Puerto Rico. RDX has shown adverse effects to humans, flora, and fauna, thus posing a risk to the Vieques ecosystem and its inhabitants. We propose a biosensing, cell-signaling module inducible by presence of RDX and coupled to a biodegradation module via the quorum-sensing signal molecule, AHL. We identified two possible biosensing elements in previous works: a transcriptional fusion of two promoters from nitric oxide (NO) detoxification-associated genes, and a synthetic aptamer riboswitch with high affinity for RDX. For the biodegradation module, we identified a P450 cytochrome and reductase duo, XplA/XplB, isolated from bacterial isolates with RDX-degrading capabilities. Unfortunately, we were unable to complete the wetlab work due to an unanticipated meteorological event that left the island without power. We hereby demonstrate our proof of concept and future works ahead.





Our Project

We present a biodegradation solution for persistent RDX contamination in aquatic environments.

Biology Team

This team was in charge of carrying out literature research, prototype design, and wet lab work.

Social Impact Team

This team was dedicated to communication in the field of Synthetic Biology as well as communicating with stakeholders.

Engineering Team

This team focused on the design and development of our bioreactor and on performing mathematical modeling.

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