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Media Contact: Ron Walli (wallira@ornl.gov)
Communications and External Relations
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BESC scores a first with isobutanol directly from cellulose



BioEnergy Science Center researchers have devised a new bioprocessing method combined with a transgenic microbe to save two steps on the way to producing biofuels. (Image: DOE BESC)
OAK RIDGE, Tenn., March 7, 2011 — In the quest for inexpensive biofuels, cellulose proved no match for a bioprocessing strategy and genetically engineered microbe developed by researchers at the Department of Energy's BioEnergy Science Center.
Using consolidated bioprocessing, a team led by James Liao of the University of California at Los Angeles for the first time produced isobutanol directly from cellulose. The team's work, published online in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, represents across-the-board savings in processing costs and time, plus isobutanol is a higher grade of alcohol than ethanol.

"Unlike ethanol, isobutanol can be blended at any ratio with gasoline and should eliminate the need for dedicated infrastructure in tanks or vehicles," said Liao, chancellor's professor and vice chair of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science. "Plus, it may be possible to use isobutanol directly in current engines without modification."

Compared to ethanol, higher alcohols such as isobutanol are better candidates for gasoline replacement because they have an energy density, octane value and Reid vapor pressure - a measurement of volatility - that is much closer to gasoline, Liao said.

While cellulosic biomass like corn stover and switchgrass is abundant and cheap, it is much more difficult to utilize than corn and sugar cane. This is due in large part because of recalcitrance, or a plant's natural defenses to being chemically dismantled.

Adding to the complexity is the fact biofuel production that involves several steps - pretreatment, enzyme treatment and fermentation - is more costly than a method that combines biomass utilization and the fermentation of sugars to biofuel into a single process.

To make the conversion possible, Liao and postdoctoral researcher Wendy Higashide of UCLA and Yongchao Li and Yunfeng Yang of Oak Ridge National Laboratory had to develop a strain of Clostridium cellulolyticum, a native cellulose-degrading microbe, that could synthesize isobutanol directly from cellulose. "This work is based on our earlier work at UCLA in building a synthetic pathway for isobutanol production," Liao said.

While some Clostridium species produce butanol, these organisms typically do not digest cellulose directly. Other Clostridium species digest cellulose but do not produce butanol. None produce isobutanol, an isomer of butanol.

"In nature, no microorganisms have been identified that possess all of the characteristics necessary for the ideal consolidated bioprocessing strain, so we knew we had to genetically engineer a strain for this purpose," Li said.

While there were many possible microbial candidates, the research team ultimately chose Clostridium cellulolyticum, which was originally isolated from decayed grass. The researchers noted that their strategy exploits the host's natural cellulolytic activity and the amino acid biosynthetic pathway and diverts its intermediates to produce higher alcohol than ethanol.

The researchers also noted that Clostridium cellulolyticum has been genetically engineered to improve ethanol production, and this has led to additional more detailed research. Clostridium cellulolyticum has a sequenced genome available via DOE's Joint Genome Institute. This proof of concept research sets the stage for studies that will likely involve genetic manipulation of other consolidated bioprocessing microorganisms.

The paper is titled "Metabolic Engineering of Clostridium Cellulolyticum for Isobutanol Production from Cellulose," and is available online at http://aem.asm.org/. This work was supported in part by BESC (http://bioenergycenter.org/) at ORNL and by UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics. BESC is one of three DOE Bioenergy Research Centers established by the DOE's Office of Science in 2007. The centers support multidisciplinary, multi-institutional research teams pursuing the fundamental scientific breakthroughs needed to make production of cellulosic biofuels, or biofuels from nonfood plant fiber, cost-effective on a national scale. The centers are led by ORNL, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of Wisconsin-Madison in partnership with Michigan State University.

The UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, established in 1945, offers 28 academic and professional degree programs and has an enrollment of almost 5,000 students. It is ranked among the top 10 engineering schools at public universities nationwide and is home to seven multimillion-dollar interdisciplinary research centers.

ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle for the Department of Energy's Office of Science.



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I am so glad to read your comment.Yes we have sugar cane ,corn and other plants that we can grow in the mountains of haiti to produce bio fuel that we can use as gas to cook our food ,but the difference is the american universities like UCLA ,M.I.T. receive grants from the Department of energy to solve the country's problems; in Haiti our universties don't even have good laboratories to do research and they will never have if as you request our scarced resources are used to buy arms for a small army;organize elections to lect Senators every two years etc.The arms will not prevent the erosion of the country.

I told you before security has many aspects:food securtiy is one of them.Haiti will not be able to feed 15 milions people in 2025 if we continue to cut our trees to produce chacoal.Any one eye man can see that.(lol)haiti needs to find an alternative source of energy.This is one of the priorities of the country right now.Let's solve our most urgent priorities first:eradicate the diseases that are killing our people,build houses for the people who are sleeping under the tents in the capital;rebuild modern schools for our children to learn;rebuild our hospitals to give health care to our people;control the birth rate; find new sources of energy to reduce our gasoline imports and stop the deforestation of the country.

The new government must concentrate all the resources( humane and material )to solve these problems in the next five years.We can not waste our meager resources in anything else.If Mrs Manigat or Micky can solve these urgent problems they will deserve our praises and gratitudes.

Roseau

I agreed to disagree.

Be more specific my son.You do not agree that our resources must be used to solve these urgent needs?Karl, are you serious?

Karl

Let us agree to disagree because you refuse to answer my question:Is there stability in Costa Rica and Panama?Yes or No?Was there stability in haiti when the FADH were in service?You're more familiar with the african countries such as Nigeria, Congo, Bukirna fasso,Zimbabwe,Mozambique,Rwanda, Uganda etc can you say these countries are stable?If as you said a FADH or FAR is a requirement for stability and security how do you explain the instability that exists in these countries I cited and the stability that exists in Costa Rica and Panama.Are you working for the french arms industry?You want to sell us some of the MIGs that you sold Sadham Hussein?(lol)Did they prevent the americans to hang him?

Let's discuss development my son because you don't have a clue about what an army needs.How are we going to find an alternative to charcoal; how are we going to build an industry to provide us with solar energy ,bio fuel in order for us to stop cutting our trees ;if we waste our meager resources to buy arms?If your children were hungry and sick ;a friend gives you some money would you buy a colt 38 with that money or would you buy food and medecines for them?Don't answer me if you are blinded by some interests that we don't know.Are you an economic hit man?(lol).Yes I have an american passport ,but I still have haiti in my heart.I am tired of reading this utopia that you are proposing.What sovereignty are you talking about?did the FADH prevent the occupation of the country in 1915 and in 2004?

P.S. Karl, pretty soon the american beggars(lol) will be able to sell human organs made in their laboratories.Pretty soon you will be able to buy your american made kidneys ,your american made brain new heart my son.