ASU microbiologist Roy Curtiss is using a plant-like bacterium called cyanobacteria to mass produce clean, renewable energy.
These biofuels would produce a higher energy yield and would be more cost-efficient than current energy sources such as ethanol, he said. Curtiss’ work with cyanobacteria began in 2007.
“Cyanobacteria are not that different to the plants we are familiar with,” Curtiss said. “Like most plants, they are dependent on ingredients like sunlight, carbon dioxide and water.”
Managing editor at ASU’s Biodesign Institute Joseph Caspermeyer said the cyanobacteria could allow future farmers to cultivate their crops solely for food production.
The cyanobacteria would be used to replace plants used for energy, such as corn, soybeans and switchgrass.
“When you get down to it, we are a corn-based society,” Caspermeyer said. “When our corn-based products are being used for food as opposed to being slated for other purposes, everybody wins.”
Greg Golden, project manager at the Biodesign Institute, said one of the keys to energy replication is the alteration of the bacteria’s genetic makeup.
Specifically, the cells are altered to produce lipids instead of sugars by metabolic engineering.
“It is like we have taken them to McDonald’s to have them super-sized,” Golden said. “Lipids are long carbon chains that can be converted to biodiesel, and that’s what we end up using.”
Golden said the vast amount of cyanobacteria needed for commercial use would require several large factories to be built, thereby producing green jobs.
Postdoctoral research associate Michael Fisher said one of the most important factors in their work has been the funding and support from the University.
“It all boils down to the value of being able to conduct our studies at a world-class university,” Fisher said. “All of the help and moral backing that we have gotten has really lent itself to the progress we made and intend to make down the road.”
Reach the reporter at mjgordo1@asu.edu
