Driving for Biofuels: New Technique Speeds Search for Biofuel Microbes

insciences.org
Published on 20 March 2009, 00:05 Last Update: 3 day(s) ago by Insciences

A new research technique from JBEI promises to greatly speed up the search for microbes that can ferment cellulosic sugars under the harsh conditions of biofuels production.

In the drive to derive clean, green and renewable liquid transportation fuels from cellulosic biomass, a critical factor will be finding or developing microbes that not only are able to ferment complex sugars, but are also able to withstand the high temperatures and other grueling conditions of fuel production, and do not become inhibited by the fuel that is being produced. One potential candidate has already emerged and researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) have made vital determinations about its metabolism via an unusual experimental route that promises to greatly speed up future research efforts in this field.

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