Modified M. Luteus that Combats Climate Change
Climate change is a defining problem of the 21st century. However, engineering M. luteus for carbon dioxide and methane fixation could be the long-needed solution.
Video Representation
Prototypes
Carboxysomes
This organelle in enclosed in BMC-H (Blue) with BMC-P in the corners (yellow) and BMC-T as the multicolored hexagons. Inside the carboxysome, there is rubisco (Green), Carbonic Anhydrase (pink), other proteins (white)
Soluble Methane Monooxygenase
This is the resting phase for the active site of this enzyme. sMMO has a diiron core which is depicted as red spheres in the center. The enzyme works to break apart methane (the larger white sphere near the top).
Factories
This is an exhaust chamber for a factory. It is has intricate pathways lined with M. luteus. This allows more CO2 to reach the bacteria so it can fix it and produce O2.
Cattle Farms
M. luteus can grow on the cow waste to reduce the amount of methane produced. They would reside in designated waste areas.
M. luteus
This yellow bacteria will have its DNA modified (seen by the blue segment in the DNA). It also has ribosomes (red) which will produce the enzyme and the carboxysome. One type of M. luteus will have the carboxysomes and the other will have sMMO.