Patent awarded for cellulose-digesting bacteria that make ethanol
In Maryland, The US Patent and Trademark Office issued patent number 9,193,979 for ethanol-tolerant microorganisms that convert cellulosic biomass to ethanol. The patent describes using the microorganisms to produce ethanol from crop or waste biomass like food waste, crop residues (e.g. corn stalks), algae, or leaves. In contrast to most current biochemical methods to produce cellulosic ethanol, the described organisms digest biomass and convert it directly to alcohols and the organisms are tolerant to 5-10% ethanol.
The patent covers microorganisms developed and adapted using a method recently published in the Journal of Theoretical Biology in October, which was described previously in the Biofuels Digest. In the method, process conditions are established that select for cellulose-degrading organisms in high ethanol environments. The inventors Richard A. Kohn and Seon-Woo Kim are faculty members at the University of Maryland where the organisms were first discovered. Several example microorganisms were isolated from the stomach of a cow and they include organisms that do not tolerate oxygen as well as some that do tolerate oxygen. The patent is owned by the inventors who are seeking a licensing partner.
Category: Research
