iGEM RhyzUp - Drought Resistance Through Biofilm Enhancement

Global food systems are increasingly pressured by climate change, unsustainable agricultural practices and social pressures, such as political instability and population growth. Key challenges including environmental instability and desertification threaten food security. RhyzUp presents a sustainable solution by enhancing biofilm production in rhizobacteria to improve plant resilience under stress conditions like drought. Our project makes use of the symbiotic relationship between plants and rhizobacteria to optimize biofilm formation only when in proximity to plant roots, which improves water retention, nutrient uptake, and protection against environmental stressors. By genetically modifying Pseudomonas sp. IsoF, we aim to increase the production of cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP), a second messenger involved in the formation of biofilms. This is done by upregulating diguanylate cyclases (DGCs) to increase c-di-GMP production and inhibiting a phosphodiesterase (PDE) to prevent its degradation. Our goal is to create a sustainable approach by leveraging synthetic biology to enhance agricultural resilience.