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DOE Pulse
  • Number 323  |
  • October 25, 2010

Powered by microbes?

Microbes to Fuel

Microbes to Fuel

In looking at fossil fuel alternatives, microbes are small players that could pack a big punch. Microbes are being studied for their potential to produce fuels, without the challenges inherent in petroleum. Scientists at DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and their collaborators reconstructed the metabolic network of Shewanella oneidensis, a promising microbe for chemical synthesis. With the metabolic data, the team built models to simulate different changes to the microbe and its environment. Scientists from the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Dartmouth College collaborated with PNNL on this work. DOE's Office of Biological and Environmental Research funded it.

[Kristin Manke, 509.372.6011,
kristin.manke@pnl.gov]