Researchers Engineer Hardier Microbes

Busy, productive microbes use enzymes to break down leaves, stalks and other biomass and then convert that material into renewable fuels and chemicals. But some of those enzymes can’t function at the high temperatures or acidity that maintain low operating costs for fermentation processes.

A research team led by Iowa State University’s Laura Jarboe will try to fix that problem by identifying rougher, tougher enzymes and engineering microbes to use them in industrial fermentation. Their work is supported by a three-year, $969,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. Read ISU News Service news release… (Mike Krapfl, 10/13/2021)


Posted October 13, 2021