In Washington state, fungi, algae, and cyanobacteria might not complain about jet lag. But like humans, their physiologies adhere to a roughly 24-hour cycle of behavioral patterns in the absence of external cues. Organisms that experience recurring day and night cycles have evolved a biochemical oscillator or circadian clock. This clock determines which activities, from […]
In Sweden, wastes become resources in the project Ways2Taste, where researchers at the University of Borås are developing methods for growing fungi on material that would otherwise have become waste. The goal is to produce climate-smart materials–including a whole new source of protein. The waste products used in Ways2Taste come from bakeries, ice cream factories, […]
The pace of bioeconomy invention and change continues at a frenetic pace. In today’s Digest, a new algae/fungi biofuels system, breakthru on sugar yields, biodegradable clothes, Beyond Burger’s monster GHG benefit revealed, Indigo Ag raises $250M, robotic precision harvest, biotech labs made from shipping boxes — here are the top innovations for the week of […]
In Michigan, Michigan State University scientists found a solution using two species of marine algae and soil fungi to enhance oil production and harvest using what many consider sea sludge. The new proof of concept is a biofuel production platform that lowers cultivation and harvesting costs and increases productivity. The species of alga, Nannochloropsis oceanica, […]
In the UK, the Telegraph reports that Kew Gardens researchers and an international team from 18 countries have discovered Aspergillus tubingensis can break down plastic in weeks rather than decades using its mycelia. The fungi was found in a Pakistani trash dump by Chinese scientists last year. The discovery was part of a larger publication […]
In Brazil, production of second-generation (2G) ethanol from sugarcane requires enzymatic hydrolysis, in which enzymes from microorganisms act together to break down and convert the carbohydrates in sugarcane straw and bagasse into sugars capable of undergoing fermentation. Understanding the genetic mechanisms that regulate the control and production of hydrolytic enzymes by microorganisms is considered fundamental […]
In the UK, an international team of researchers, including scientists from the University of York, has discovered a set of enzymes found in fungi that are capable of breaking down one of the main components of wood. The enzymes could now potentially be used to sustainably convert wood biomass into valuable chemical commodities such as […]
As any observer of roadkill knows, time takes care of even the most complex organisms if they die by the side of the road — rots sets in, and time takes its toll, and bones are generally all that is left by the side of the road. Rot is nature’s free bioconversion technology — and […]
The US Department of Energy is supporting a project to develop efficient and robust fungal biocatalysts and bioprocesses that utilize lignocellulose feedstocks to produce advanced biofuels and bioproducts at lower cost. Fungus — they know just about everything there is to know about robustly deconstructing biomass to capture the energy within — but what are […]
In California, in findings published in the journal Nature Microbiology, researchers from the University of California Santa Barbara and more than 20 co-investigators describe a new complex of enzymes discovered in herbivore gut fungi that may have applications in sustainable fuels and chemicals. The paper is titled “A Parts List for Fungal Cellulosomes Revealed by […]
