« Fuel For Thought: Students Look For Alternative Power | Home | Ethanol-Based Fuel Sales Jump In October »
Termite Guts Could Boost Ethanol Efficiency
By Mr Ethanol | November 26, 2007
A metagenomic study could suggest ways to make cellulosic ethanol.
Technology Review:
A massive genomic study of the microbes living within the termite gut has identified close to 1,000 possible enzymes that break down wood. The plethora of cellulose-digesting proteins could shed light on the insects’ renowned wood-eating capacity and suggest cheaper, more efficient methods for generating cellulosic ethanol.
“The hard part [in producing cellulosic ethanol] is obtaining the metabolic intermediates from things like wood, but that’s the problem the termites have solved,” says Frances Arnold, a scientist at Caltech in Pasadena who was not involved in the research. “This paper provides an explosion of information about the genes involved in wood degradation in the termite.”
Cellulose is a fibrous complex carbohydrate that makes up plant cell walls. Biofuels made from cellulosic biomass, including cornstalks, woodchips, perennial grasses, and weeds such as switchgrass, could provide an alternative to corn-derived ethanol, which requires a large amount of energy to produce. However, breaking down cellulose into simple sugars that can be fermented into ethanol is currently a complex, inefficient, and expensive process. Scientists are searching for new enzymes that can more efficiently break down the hardy molecule and allow the production process to compete with corn-based ethanol.
Topics: Ethanol, News, Science |
Related Posts
- Negotiators Nearing Energy Bill Compromise
- President Bush Answers Questions On Ethanol, Fuel Efficiency And Gas Tax
- Brazilian Ethanol Gets Japanese Boost
- Heat Loving Bacteria Could Boost Ethanol Production
- Giuliani: The Lobbyist In Chief?
- Crist Aims To Boost Ethanol Trade With Brazil With 6-Day Trip
- Magnets Can Boost Production Of Ethanol For Fuel
- Monsanto And Perten Instruments Collaborate To Develop Tools For Ethanol Production
- Cars And Trucks And SUVs, Oh My
- Ford Makes History As Demonstration Fleet Of Ethanol-Fueled Hybrids Hits The Road
New Way Of Making Easy Money Online
November 26th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
nasty…but if that’ll save our planet im in
November 29th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
It all goes back to organics.