Genetically Engineered Yeast Consume Toxic Byproduct

摘要

Cellulosic biofucl could provide many benefits over the corn-based alternative, including the use of an abundant non-food feedstock. Several economical and technological challenges, however, stand in the way of realizing these benefits. Scientists at the Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have addressed a major technological challenge — the toxicity of acetic acid, which is a byproduct of cellulose hydrolysis. In doing so, they have increased the efficiency of converting cellulosic biomass into liquid fuel.