Navigation Links
Blocking carbon dioxide fixation in bacteria increases biofuel production
Date:3/30/2011

Reducing the ability of certain bacteria to fix carbon dioxide can greatly increase their production of hydrogen gas that can be used as a biofuel. Researchers from the University of Washington, Seattle, report their findings in the current issue of online journal mBio.

"Hydrogen gas is a promising transportation fuel that can be used in hydrogen fuel cells to generate an electric current with water as the only waste product," says Caroline Harwood, who conducted the study with James McKinlay. "Phototrophic bacteria, like Rhodopseudomonas palustris obtain energy from light and carbon from organic compounds during anaerobic growth. Cells can naturally produce hydrogen gas biofuel as a way of disposing of excess electrons."

Feeding these bacteria more electron rich organic compounds though, does not always produce the logically expected result of increased hydrogen production. Harwood and McKinlay analyzed metabolic functions of R. palustris grown on four different compounds to better understand what other variables might be involved.

One factor involved appears to be the Calvin cycle, a series of biochemical reactions responsible for the process known as carbon dioxide fixation. The Calvin cycle converts carbon dioxide and electrons into organic compounds. Therefore carbon dioxide-fixation and hydrogen production naturally compete for electrons.

When they tested a strain of the bacterium, which had been genetically modified to block carbon dioxide-fixation they observed an increased output of hydrogen from all four substrates.

The Calvin cycle was not the only variable affecting hydrogen production that Harwood and McKinlay identified in the paper. They also determined that the metabolic route a growth substrate took on its way to becoming a building block for making new cells also played a role.

"Our work illustrates how an understanding of bacterial metabolism and physiology can be applied to
'/>"/>

Contact: Jim Sliwa
jsliwa@asmusa.org
202-942-9297
American Society for Microbiology
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related biology technology :

1. New Radiation-Blocking Medical Garments Introduced at RSNA Meeting in Chicago : Demron-M Technology Provides Total Protection in a Lightweight, Durable, Flexible Fabric
2. Ultra fast photodetectors out of carbon nanotubes
3. Taming carbon nanotubes
4. Touchscreens made of carbon
5. Curved carbon for electronics of the future
6. Carbon-Based Nano-Materials and Devices Conference
7. Earthshaking possibilities may limit underground storage of carbon dioxide
8. Energy technologies not enough to sufficiently reduce carbon emissions, NYUs Hoffert concludes
9. Scientists observe single ions moving through tiny carbon-nanotube channel
10. Extreme darkness: Carbon nanotube forest covers NISTs ultra-dark detector
11. Using carbon nanotubes in lithium batteries can dramatically improve energy capacity
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
(Date:5/21/2013)... Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) May 21, 2013 ... and financial services company for clinical trials, announced ... Aggregate Spend Solutions, LLC. Clinverse’s ClinPay® FLS ... automated investigator payment process. SpendMD ™, ... only complete solution for tracking and reporting transfer ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... New York , May 21, 2013 ... by Transparency Market Research ( http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com ) "Biochip Products ... Research, IVD Tests) - U.S. Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, ... 2.4 billion in 2011 and is expected to grow ... to reach an estimated value of USD 4.7 billion ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... Many have long discussed the link between ... physicians from Clinical Psychiatry.com readdressed the topic ... and suggested using hypnotherapy and other mental ... stress that cause acne. , Doctors in the article ... about, stress causes changes in the skin that have ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... May 21, 2013  MacroGenics, Inc. today announced ... margetuximab (MGAH22), an Fc-modified chimeric monoclonal antibody (MAb), ... HER2 oncoprotein," will be presented at the 2013 ... Oncology during the Developmental Therapeutics - Immunotherapy Oral ... – 4:30 PM.  The presentation will describe the ...
Breaking Biology Technology:Clinverse, Inc. Announces Strategic Alliance with Aggregate Spend Solutions, LLC 2Clinverse, Inc. Announces Strategic Alliance with Aggregate Spend Solutions, LLC 3The U.S. Biochip Products and Services Market is Expected to Reach USD 4.7 Billion in 2018: Transparency Market Research 2The U.S. Biochip Products and Services Market is Expected to Reach USD 4.7 Billion in 2018: Transparency Market Research 3The U.S. Biochip Products and Services Market is Expected to Reach USD 4.7 Billion in 2018: Transparency Market Research 4The U.S. Biochip Products and Services Market is Expected to Reach USD 4.7 Billion in 2018: Transparency Market Research 5Adult Acne Treatment, Probiotic Action Explains How Hypnotherapy and Probiotics May Cure Various Skin Conditions 2MacroGenics Announces Margetuximab (MGAH22) Phase 1 Data Presentation at ASCO; Initiates Phase 2 Clinical Study to Evaluate Activity of Margetuximab in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer 2MacroGenics Announces Margetuximab (MGAH22) Phase 1 Data Presentation at ASCO; Initiates Phase 2 Clinical Study to Evaluate Activity of Margetuximab in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer 3
... delivered a keynote address at the recent Digital ... chair-elect of the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society ... Internal Revenue Service on the subject of healthcare ... to remove the tax-exempt status of certain healthcare practices ...
... Madison, Wis . - One of the barriers to ... reducing the CO2 emissions associated with hydrogen production. , ... Energy Systems of Madison has entered into a ... of Shell Oil Co., to further develop and commercialize ...
... . - The Medical College of Wisconsin ... National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to ... ,The research, which will be led by principal investigator ... the link between oxygen deficit and loss of a ...
Cached Biology Technology:IRS ruling could speed healthcare technology adoption 2IRS ruling could speed healthcare technology adoption 3IRS ruling could speed healthcare technology adoption 4IRS ruling could speed healthcare technology adoption 5Virent enters agreement with Shell Oil unit to make hydrogen with biomass 2
(Date:5/21/2013)... considered in the management of natural resources, and ... help them recognize and respond to the relationships ... , Place-Based Conservation: Perspectives from the Social ... Northwest Research Station,s Linda Kruger, can help managers ... is published by Springer Verlag and is available ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... COLUMBIA, Mo. Cancers of all types become most ... body. Once cancer has reached this stage, it becomes ... numerous tumors that can develop. Now, researchers at the ... radioactive nanoparticles that target lymphoma tumor cells wherever they ... professor of oncology in the MU College of Veterinary ...
(Date:5/21/2013)... world,s largest scientific society, invites news media coverage ... 8-12, 2013, in Indianapolis, Ind. It will take ... area hotels. , With more than 7,100 presentations ... from astronomy to zoology ― the meeting will ... assortment of spot news and feature possibilities. The ...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):MU researchers develop radioactive nanoparticles that target cancer cells 2
... don,t know where to turn? Then consider yourself a candidate ... sponsored by the NJIT Enterprise Development Center and the Alumni ... the NJIT Campus Center from 9:30 a.m. 3 p.m., ... to help launch that dream. "I Have ...
... of many of the world,s tribulationseconomic, environmental and politicalStanford ... intently on energy issues, President John Hennessy announced today. ... hiring of additional faculty and support new graduate students, ... yearly funding now spent on energy research., The new ...
... With recent increase in the cost of energy and ... of corn residue for cellulosic ethanol production is likely ... fields where corn is grown continuously, in part because ... because corn residue left on the soil surface is ...
Cached Biology News:Entrepreneurs wanted for NJIT workshops about how to launch a business 2Stanford launches $100 million initiative to tackle energy issues 2Stanford launches $100 million initiative to tackle energy issues 3Stanford launches $100 million initiative to tackle energy issues 4Stanford launches $100 million initiative to tackle energy issues 5Preventing soil erosion in continuous corn 2
... Arrays can be used to test the ... and sera that are commonly used as ... contains spots for 21 different protein preparations ... antibody crossreactivity and species specificity, QC of ...
... based on PI's experience in high-resolution parallel ... decade. PI Hexapods were originally used in ... over wide ranges in small step sizes. ... with 3 m minimum incremental motion (combined ...
... Life Sciences can provide custom microplate coating using advanced automated ... variety of plate formats. We can also accommodate virtually any ... of 0.5-320 L):, , ... 96 well microplate, 384 well ...
... Agencourt offers a full length insert ... as BACs, cosmids and fosmids. Agencourt ... high quality libraries. There are several ... quality sequencing data with rapid turnaround including ...
Biology Products: