Microbial Genes Key to Biofuel Production Fri, 2013-02-15 10:15
Microorganisms that can break down plant biomass into the
precursors of biodiesel or other commodity chemicals might one
day be used to produce alternatives to petroleum. But the
potential of this “biorefinery” technology is limited by the
fact that most microorganisms cannot break down lignin, a highly
stable polymer that makes up as much as a third of plant
biomass. Streptomyces bacteria are among few microorganisms
known to degrade and consume lignin. Now a group of researchers
at Brown University has unlocked the genetic and molecular
mechanisms behind a key part of that process. The results are
published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research. Jason Sello,
professor of chemistry at Brown, and Rebecca Page, professor in
biology in the Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology,
and Biochemistry, directed the research with graduate students
Jennifer Davis and Breann Brown. “Aside from the implications
for biotechnology, this work is signific