Download - ALCOHOL vs. BRAIN
ALCOHOL vs. BRAIN
DRUNKENNESS PREVENTION
PURPOSEWhy is drunkenness prevention
important?Impaired memory and judgment
Crime
Drunk driving accidents
What will my design do to address this problem?
How does alcohol affect our brains?
Inhibit excitatory activity
Glutamate
NMDA-Ionotropic glutamate receptor
Ca2+
Synaptic plasticity-Learning and memory
Ethanol molecule-Uncompetitive antagonist
How is alcohol metabolized in the brain?
Acetyl-CoAAcetyl-CoA synthase-2
CO2Water
Basic idea of my design• Prevent ethanol from blocking the
NMDA receptor for too long• Alphaproteobacteria• Quorum sensing
• Control alcohol concentration• Produce enzymes invovled in alcohol metabolism• Results: euphoria, but not too drunk
COMPETING TECHNOLOGIES
1. UCLA – dihydromyricetin (DHM)• Ancient herbal remedy- Hovenia dulcis• Rats seem sober within 15 minutes• Dealing with hangover anxiety• Never become addicted- stop rats wanting to drink2. Yale- iomanzenil• Negate alcohol’s effect on the brain when taken before drinking• “stay sober” pill, slowly wean heavy drinkers off of alcoholProblems?• Take pleasure out of drinking• Encourage people to drink more, damaging body tissues
THE DESIGNQuorum Sensing: Bacteria communication/ gene
regulation• Signal molecule: AHL• Two genes: LuxI and LuxR• Luxl:
– AHL synthase: combine AdoMet and fatty acyl ACP-> AHL
• LuxR:– Transcriptional regulatory protein– Activated when bind with AHL
Therefore, the more AHL is produced, the more chance that R protein can bind to an AHL molecule. When a specific concentration threshold is reached, the R protein is activated and so is the transcription.
Simple model of the Quorum Sensing process:
Genetic Devices:
1. Receptor protein that only bind to ethanol- Lush protein2. Transcription factor activated by lush protein and controls the
transcription of LuxI and LuxR protein3. A promoter site/ activator binding site4. RNA polymerase 5. Terminator6. Gene sequences
1. LuxI2. LuxR3. CAT (catalase)4. ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase)5. ACSS1 (acetyl CoA synthase-2)
A complicated model of my design:
EXPECTED RESULTS• Concentration threshold: 0.04%• < 0.04% : nothing, enjoy the euphoria • > 0.04 % enzymes are produced for alcohol detoxification, keeping
alcohol concentration at 0.04%
ADVANTAGES
Why is this better than the existing technologies?• allows you to still enjoy the pleasure of drinking• no memory loss or impairment in judgment• safer way to have fun
What benefits does it bring to the society?• Less alcohol crimes (40%) • Prevent alcoholism
POTENTIAL PROBLEMSWhat are the potential problems with your system?• No danger to environment, lab safety, or the security of the public• Mutation• Increased amount of alcohol consumption– harmful to other body parts
Are their inefficiencies or shortcomings of your design as compared to the existing technologies?
• Permanent effect• Involves complicated process to insert
the bacteria into the brain
Are the rewards worth the risks?• Remove unnecessary genes• Improve ethanol metabolism in other organs• Less alcohol-induced tragedy and more fun!
TESTING1. Rats• Control and experimental group• BAC 0.04%15 bottled beer• “heat shock” transformation
2. Human brain cells in vitro• Bacteriophages• Add ethanol molecules till > 0.04%
3. Human in vivo• Bacteriophages• Drink till 0.04%• Driving simulator• Drink till 0.08%
- THE END -THANK YOU!