Omar Elkassih / Biology / Faculty Mentor: Justyn Jaworski
Equol, a natural isoflavone metabolite derived from daidzein found in soy products, has been linked to various health benefits, including reduced incidence of certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, and hormone-dependent illnesses. While some individuals can naturally convert soy-derived dietary daidzein to equol through their native gut bacteria, this ability is limited in Western populations compared to Asian populations. Our approach aims to standardize this variability in equol production among populations by engineering biocompatible filamentous bacteriophage vectors to deliver genes for daidzein metabolism into an individual’s native gut bacteria, thus creating a probiotic that enables consumers to access the health benefits of daidzein-rich foods. Through the design, cloning, and testing of genetic constructs, we demonstrate the production of the necessary enzymes for equol conversion in bacteria. Furthermore, we showcase the feasibility of incorporating these essential enzymes into a bacteriophage vector for gene delivery in vitro.
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