Scientists have been fascinated with the fungus Trichoderma reesei ever since it chomped American army canvas in the South Pacific during World War II. Now an international team is unlocking the fungus genome for better biofuel production.
Mutant strains of the fungus make more of the enzyme that breaks down biomass than normal strains. Researchers from the Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute, the French research center IFP, and the Vienna University of Technology recently published a study on those mutations in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. They discovered that instead of just three mutations--as was previously thought--there actually are more than 200 across dozens of genes.
Through gene sequencing, the scientists were able to make a sort of "mutation map," which gets us closer to understanding which mutations are related to enzyme production. Harnessing the right mutant fungus strains could make it easier and cheaper to produce cellulosic ethanol from plant waste. While every fuel source has tradeoffs, cellulosic ethanol is attractive because it doesn't cut into food sources. So, mutant fungus, different really is beautiful.
Photo: The fungus Trichoderma reesei. Credit: Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques.
Tags: Alternative Fuels, Alternative Power Sources, Energy, Genetic Science, Green Tech
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