Plants and microbes are natural biochemical factories, producing important chemicals and materials. (Petroleum deposits are the altered remains of prehistoric plants and microbes.) The Office of Science long has supported basic studies on biochemistry and genetics that are providing insights into how plants and microbes can be modified to make more products with economic value. Christopher Somerville, while at DOE's Plant Research Laboratory at Michigan State University, demonstrated the capability to transfer an alignment of genes from bacteria to higher plants that confer the ability to synthesize biodegradable plastic components. He also studied the biosynthetic pathways for plant oils to learn what genetic changes would produce a different and more desirable type of oil. Research by Lonnie Ingram at the University of Florida focused on the regulation of genes that play critical roles in a bacterium's natural production of ethanol. He engineered DNA with genes for making two key enzymes; not only did this DNA alter the production pathway, but it also was incorporated into the genetic material of numerous other bacteria that did not normally form ethanol—and they started to make it.

Scientific Impact: Somerville's work represents an early breakthrough in enhancing the use of plants as biosynthesizers of precursors for biodegradable plastics, which could replace products now derived from petroleum. Ingram's research suggests the potential for altering many bacteria, with many potential growth substrates, to produce ethanol.

Social Impact: Biosynthesis of compounds that can replace petroleum-derived products could reduce U.S. reliance on foreign oil. The University of Florida patented an ethanol-producing organism capable of growing on certain sugars, and an ethanol plant in Louisiana is demonstrating the commercial potential of a process based on this research.

Reference: Buchanan, B.B., W.Gruissem, and R.L. Jones, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology of Plants, American Society of Plant Physiologists (aspp@aspp.org), 2001.

URL: http://aspp.org/public_affairs/briefing/amfuels.htm
http://www.napa.ufl.edu/digest/old/1998-99/biomass.htm

Technical Contact: Don Freeburn, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, 301-903-3156

Press Contact: Jeff Sherwood, DOE Office of Public Affairs, 202-586-5806

SC-Funding Office: Office of Basic Energy Sciences