A Novel Approach to S. cerevisiae Metabolic Engineering for Bioethanol Production

Dufour, Nicholas Paul

Student Work

A Novel Approach to S. cerevisiae Metabolic Engineering for Bioethanol Production

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While ethanol holds promise as a fuel source, implementation is hampered due to reliance on material used in food production. Lignocellulose, an abundant, unexploited substrate is problematic due to the inability of microbes to ferment it. Here a novel approach for Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolic engineering was employed, using mutagenesis of a TATA-binding protein combined with traditional genetic engineering to produce a phenotype capable of lignocellulose metabolism. This promises a means of creating desired ethanol producing phenotypes. We report success engineering a new yeast strain, containing a desired genotype for metabolic engineering, as well as a strain that can successfully grow in a culture having only xylose and arabinose.

This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

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