https://video.igem.org/videos/watch/cc235c4c-6145-4f79-a0a4-a2f0f71f35c2 Title: Carbotex: Weaving Ecological Agri-waste into Valued Ecopolymers Description: Can crop straw become more than agricultural waste? Carbotex explores how straw-derived carbon can be converted into valuable bio-based adhesives through synthetic biology. We combine consolidated biological saccharification with an engineered Aureobasidium melanogenum A08 cell factory to produce poly(malic acid) (PMA) from lignocellulosic hydrolysate. To tackle inefficient xylose utilization, we investigated the regulatory roles of XlnR and AraR and co-expressed them to improve PMA production from mixed sugars. Further engineering of pyruvate carboxylase enhanced precursor supply, achieving a PMA titer of 26 g/L in hydrolysate. We then directly modified PMA-containing fermentation broth with dopamine to develop bio-based adhesives. Beyond wet-lab engineering, our metabolic and molecular modeling provided additional insights, while hardware development explored process-control challenges. Through TRACE-guided Integrated Human Practices and WEAVE-based education, we connected scientific decisions with stakeholder perspectives and wider public engagement. In this presentation, we share how Carbotex brings together biological engineering, materials development, and responsible innovation to turn agricultural residues into promising functional materials. Wiki | Official Page Thu, 29 Oct 2026 22:22:52 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://video.igem.org https://video.igem.org/client/assets/images/icons/icon-1500x1500.png https://video.igem.org/videos/watch/cc235c4c-6145-4f79-a0a4-a2f0f71f35c2 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://video.igem.org/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.