Bacteria may boost ethanol production

Advances in genetic engineering are at the heart of two agreements that could reduce the cost of making ethanol from biomass.

A new cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) and a licensing agreement have been signed by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy

The more active bacteria strains also might be used with other biomass feedstocks for ethanol.

The bacterium, Zymomonas mobilis, was originally engineered at NREL to ferment both five- and sixcarbon sugars. Most biocatalysts ferment only glucose, a six-carbon sugar. By fermenting both sugars simultaneously, Zymonomas mobilis can expand by up to 40% the amount of biomass that can be successfully converted into ethanol.

The licensing agreement will give Arkenol rights to use the microorganisms at its planned Sacramento, CA, sugar refinery. Arkenol is contributing approximately 20% of the $400,000 research cost.