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Brazil developed bio-ethanol fungus

Discussion in 'Environmental Discussion' started by bwilson4web, Aug 19, 2020.

  1. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Source: Low-Cost Second-Generation Ethanol Production Powered by Genetically Engineered Enzyme Cocktail

    ...
    The fungus Trichoderma reesei is one of the most prolific producers of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes and is widely used in the biotechnology industry. To enhance its productivity as a biofactory for the enzyme cocktail in question, the researchers introduced six genetic modifications into RUT-C30, a publicly available strain of the fungus. They patented the process and reported it in an article published in the journal Biotechnology for Biofuels.

    “The fungus was rationally modified to maximize production of these enzymes of biotechnological interest. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technique, we modified transcription factors to regulate the expression of genes associated with the enzymes, deleted proteases that caused problems with the stability of the enzyme cocktail, and added important enzymes the fungus lacks in nature. As a result, we were able to allow the fungus produce a large amount of enzymes from agroindustrial waste, a cheap and abundant feedstock in Brazil,” Mario T. Murakami, Scientific Director of CNPEM’s Biorenewables Laboratory (LNBR), told Agência FAPESP.
    ...    ​

    Bob Wilson
     
    #1 bwilson4web, Aug 19, 2020
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2020
  2. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    GOD help us for we know NOT what we do.
    :eek:
     
    #2 sam spade 2, Aug 19, 2020
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  3. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    We've been doing such for ages now. Many organic chemicals are made with such tweaked bacteria and fungi. It's how we get vitamin C for supplements. More will have to be made in such way if the goal is to fully move away from oil.

    There isn't a risk with these things getting out, as the changes made to get them making large amounts of X makes them uncompetitive with wild types. At very least, they won't be dumping large amounts of X into the environment as the conditions are no longer ideal.
     
    #3 Trollbait, Aug 19, 2020
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  4. Rmay635703

    Rmay635703 Senior Member

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    now if they could replicate the Russians work to output Biobutanol instead we would have a real winner as hydrous and phase separation issues wouldn’t much matter and you could interchange 95% with standard e0
     
    #4 Rmay635703, Aug 19, 2020
  5. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Sure we have. Think Chernobyl.
     
    #5 sam spade 2, Aug 19, 2020
  6. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    There is at least one US based biobutanol company. I remember during their start up phase pushing it as fuel. Now they supply to the chemical industry because it pays better.
     
    #6 Trollbait, Aug 19, 2020
  7. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    #7 tochatihu, Aug 21, 2020
  8. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    [​IMG]
    .
     
    #8 hill, Aug 31, 2020
  9. John321

    John321 Senior Member

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    In the Paint Shop at Toyota due to environmental regulations you must 'burn up' or somehow capture released VOC's from the painting operations. It is very expensive to do this and that is why many automobile manufactures have gone to waterborne or even powder coatings but even these have some VOC's to dispose of.

    We experimented with a type of microbe that would eat solvents (Volatile Organic compounds). The VOC's would be captured in rotating charcoal beds washed out and then the microbes would feast on the Volatile Organic compounds breaking them down.
     
    #9 John321, Aug 31, 2020
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2020
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  10. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    "Bugs" can do a lot of interesting reactions in the test tube and of course some things are commercially feasible such as bioremediation and penicillin manufacture etc...but scale up to economic reality is an extreme difficult step. I seem to recall White Rot Fungus (seen on dead wood) is one fungus that has been closely researched for bioremdiation, but I am not sure if they've gotten anywhere good with that.
     
    #10 wjtracy, Aug 31, 2020
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  11. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The run off socks placed around construction sites are treated with microbes and fungi that can eat oils and other contaminates that might come off the site.
     
    #11 Trollbait, Sep 6, 2020
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