Scientists Discover Genes that Can Improve Biofuel Production

[Nathanael]

Research from the University of Illinois has identified yeast genes that can increase the efficiency of producing biofuel from biomass.

Biofuels are produced through the microbial fermentation of biomass crops such as corn, sugarcane, and jatropha. This process produces alcohol-based fuels ethanol and iso-butanol if yeast is used as the microbe to covert the sugars into fuel. However, at a certain temperature the biofuels become toxic to the yeast being used to create them.

Link: http://www.energyboom.com/biofuels/scientists-discover-genes-can-improve-biofuel-production

[eppur_se_muova]

1. K&R deserves wider attention -- but *iso*butanol?

I thought 1-butanol (aka n-butanol) was the best candidate for production by fermentation.

Perhaps isobutanol is a minor, unwanted byproduct using this species for ethanol production. IIRC, it's mostly acetobacter that's used to make n-butanol.