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Echeria Coli Co-Opted To Make Gasoline

Posted by Zonk on from the good-first-step-i-guess dept.

Flask_Man writes "Technology Review has an article about a small biotech company in the Silicon Valley that has successfully produced renewable gasoline from genetically modified bacteria, including the nefarious E.Coli bacteria. A pilot plant is slated to be constructed in California in 2008, and it is claimed that hundreds of different hydrocarbon molecules are capable of being produced. The modified bacteria make and excrete hydrocarbon molecules that are the length and molecular structure the company desires. From the article: 'To do this, the company is employing tools from the field of synthetic biology to modify the genetic pathways that bacteria, plants, and animals use to make fatty acids, one of the main ways that organisms store energy. Fatty acids are chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms strung together in a particular arrangement, with a carboxylic acid group made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen attached at one end. Take away the acid, and you're left with a hydrocarbon that can be made into fuel.'" We discussed something similar to this earlier this year.

6 of 331 comments (clear)

  1. Symptoms of infection include: by AltGrendel · · Score: 4, Funny

    1) High fever

    2) General listlessness.

    3) Urinating gasoline.

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    - Douglas Adams

  2. Dupe! by Harmonious+Botch · · Score: 4, Funny

    I already produce gas from bacteria. Move on, nothing new here.

  3. Re:So this is what by utopianfiat · · Score: 4, Funny

    So?! It's better than me giving up driving my SUV to work every day! Those damn communists want me to take the *TRAIN* to work from 20 miles out of town, can you believe them?!
    You do what you have to for your survival, and I'll do what I have to to maintain my pathetic dependence on petrol!

    --
    +5, Truth
  4. Re:So this is what by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 4, Funny

    It would still be cheaper than milk.

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    It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
  5. and "nefarious"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "nefarious"? That's no way to talk about your life partner! You may prefer not to think about what's going on in your tract, but the truth is we're all full of shit. And our coliform friends are helping us out with our situation. And now, they're giving us gas.

  6. Re:like any gasoline replacement by Digital+Vomit · · Score: 4, Funny

    but most schemes for the replacement of gasoline are still orders of nagitude more expensive

    Is that a comparison of the different intensities that your wife has to nag you to do something before you actually get up and do it?

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