Biofuels from microbes. This is the last frontier of "clean" energy opened by some researchers from the University of California who have carried out some studies to derive energy from the proteins produced by some microbes which, carefully refined, would be transformed into fuel.
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
Biofuels from microbes. This is the last frontier of "clean" energy opened by some researchers of theUniversity of California who have carried out some studies for obtaining energy from proteins produced by some microbes which, carefully refined, would be transformed into fuel.
The results of the study, published in the Sunday issue of "Nature Biotechnology" would show how, unlike the current production of bio-fuels based on plants that generate fats, oils or carbohydrates refined then in biofuel, it is possible - to use proteins for this purpose.
"This research is the first attempt to use proteins as a carbon source for energy production and biorefining," said Dr. James C. Liao, who coordinated the study.
The challenge, as he explains Yi-Xin Huo, a postdoctoral student who participated in the research - was to "fool microbes into using proteins to create fats or other substances that can then be turned into fuel." How? "Completely reorienting the protein utilization system which is one of the most highly regulated systems in the cell."
Such a process would thus make it possible to obtain greater yield and lower costs as well as a significant "collateral advantage", or the development of a new fertilizer who uses less nitrogen and significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions generated by fertilizer production, the researchers assured.
This discovery, in fact, according to scientists could trigger a new universe of microbes that produce fuel by eating proteins in nature especially those not suitable for animal consumption.
Simona Falasca
For more information read the original study
