Biological conversion assay using Clostridium phytofermentans to estimate plant feedstock quality.

ABSTRACT:

Background

There is currently considerable interest in developing renewable sources of energy. One strategy is the biological conversion of plant biomass to liquid transportation fuel. Several technical hurdles impinge upon the economic feasibility of this strategy, including the development of energy crops amenable to facile deconstruction. Reliable assays to characterize feedstock quality are needed to measure the effects of pre-treatment and processing and of the plant and microbial genetic diversity that influence bioconversion efficiency.

Results

We used the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium phytofermentans to develop a robust assay for biomass digestibility and conversion to biofuels. The assay utilizes the ability of the microbe to convert biomass directly into ethanol

SUBMITTER: Lee SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3348094 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature