Posted on 08/10/2008 7:55:43 PM PDT by neverdem
Scientists at the University of Sheffield have shown how bacteria could be used as a future fuel. The research, published in the journal Bioinformatics, could have significant implications for the environment and the way we produce sustainable fuels in the future.
Like all living creatures, bacteria sustain themselves through their metabolism, a huge sequence of chemical reactions that transform nutrients into energy and waste.
Using mathematical computer models, the Sheffield team have mapped the metabolism of a type of bacteria called Nostoc. Nostoc fixes nitrogen and, in doing so, releases hydrogen that can then potentially be used as fuel. Fixing nitrogen is an energy intensive process and it wasn't entirely clear exactly how the bacterium produces the energy it needs in order to perform. Now the new computer system has been used to map out how this happens.
Until now, scientists have had difficulties identifying bacteria metabolic pathways. The bacterial metabolism is a huge network of chemical reactions, and even the most sophisticated techniques can only measure a small fraction of its activity.
Dr Guido Sanguinetti, from the University's Department of Computer Science, who led the study, said: "The research uncovered a previously unknown link between the energy machinery of the Nostoc bacterium and its core nitrogen metabolism. Further investigation of this pathway might lead to understanding and improvement of the hydrogen production mechanism of these bacteria. It will certainly be some time before a pool of bacteria powers your car, but this research is yet another small step towards sustainable fuels."
He added: " The next step for us will be further investigation into hydrogen production, as well as constructing more mathematical models capable of integrating various sources of biological data."
The Sheffield research is the result of an interdisciplinary collaboration of computer scientists and chemical engineers in a new discipline called Synthetic Biology. A major goal of Synthetic Biology is to understand which pathways of the bacterial metabolism are responsible for important functions, and then genetically engineer organisms that can perform the desired function more effectively.
The research, which was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Biomodular EU-FP6 project NEST, has been published in the journal Bioinformatics.
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MMG: a probabilistic tool to identify submodules of metabolic pathways
Sanguinetti. I bet he’s a little cheerful and hopeful.
It’ll never fly with my wife... she’s a germ freak.
Guess She’ll be hitch-hiking when the Middle East goes south.
This is ridiculous.
If you think getting oil out of the ground is too long of a wait - basteria energy is worse. It’s a pipe dream.
I imagine we’ll be seeing a lot of this stuff. Gotta get those government R&D grants before those wascally Wepublicans start drilling.
Many bacteria actually perform good deeds for us, by keeping bad bacteria in control in our bodies. I believe they also play a role in synthesizing vitamins for us too.
We just want algae that eats sunlight and craps oil.
But the greens will have a snit and say "you can't burn all that carbon! It'll make Siberia Miami! We're all gonna die!" Yes my dear, you are going to die. Not from the climate, and many years from now probably, but you are going to die.
And no one is going to give a damn.
“is to understand which pathways of the bacterial metabolism are responsible for important functions, and then genetically engineer organisms that can perform the desired function more effectively.”
...and thus the Borg were born.
And a warm Siberia is bad why, exactly?
My point was, what we really want from biotech fuel production is not an energy-intensive, messy wetware way to make hydrogen. We can make hydrogen from seawater and electricity until we turn blue. We want oil from sunlight.
The "we" in that sentence, however, means "mankind". Which excludes greens. Who don't want us to get oil from sunlight, because they hate oil and carbon and the human race, and prefer sunlight and algae as is, and want the rest of us to drop dead. I heartily return the sentiment. Right back at them.
I was driven to these comments by the article subject, which is a distraction from real biotech fuel research. Which needs to and is aimed at "eat sunlight, crap oil", not "eat special expensive chemical fertilizer and tons fo energy, excrete something we can get out of seawater for a tenth as much energy". Why are the reseachers wasting their time looking at such things, instead? Because some green PC goon told them "hydrogen good, oil bad, ugh!"
Fuel from bacteria — nothing to sneeze at.
I’m aware of the science behind it. My wife is too. I didn’t say it was a sane aversion. I’ve always said she feels that way about germs and bacteria because they blow them up a million times actual size on the television.
Kind of like crime and such. Anything sensational is used to sell a product or book.
Thanks for the info, though! Love the tagline, by the way.
GG
If anyone wants to hear a voice of reason in the energy debate, listen to Dr Bill Wattenburg on KGO. He’s on Saturday and Sunday nights streaming from the KGO website at 10pm PST.
Why? The world has enough oil for several hundred more years ... bacteria? OK, make 100 million barrels a month ....
Small steps toward big energy gains
Finally, a breakthrough on how to harness solar power
IIRC, these links describe a new cheap catalyst for harvesting hydrogen with a lot less energy for the electolysis of water. IIRC, they were studying photosynthesis when they discovered it. I just want cheap energy again. The U.S. grew historically on cheap energy. If we could undermine the oil market with cheap energy, that wouldn't be good for our adversaries.
Why? I want cheap energy again.
U.S. acts to open borders to foreigners with HIV
Virus Gets a Taste of Its Own Medicine
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
This should be prohibited, because, even if this was okayed, it would take at least ten years before the fuel would come to market. /sarc
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