JBEI discovers enzyme to boost sugar in plant cell walls
December 24, 2012
| Isabel Lane
In California, an enzyme to boost the amount of galactic (a polymer of galactose, a 6-carbon sugar that can be fermented into ethanol) in plant cell walls has been discovered by the Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI). This discovery will help to make advanced biofuels cost-competitive by maximizing the amount of plant cell wall sugars that can be fermented. The sugars in plant wall cells can create drop-in replacements for gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel with no modifications required.
Category: Research