Biocatalysis

Genencor reported on progress in its project with Goodyear Tire to develop a process to produce isoprene, the building block of rubber in products such as tires.

In a presentation at the Society of Industrial Microbiology conference in San Francisco this week (August 1-5, 2010), Genencor described how synthetic biology is being applied to increase the yield and rate of production of this large volume chemical currently entirely derived from petroleum. BioIsoprene, as they call the renewably-produced isoprene, would make the tire and rubber industry less dependent on petroleum-derived materials.

Verenium, the enzyme developer that was created when Diversa merged with cellulosic ethanol developer Celunol, has now sold its cellulosic business to BP for $98.3 million. Included in the transaction are the facilities in Jennings, LA and San Diego, CA.

Verenium will retain its specialty enzyme business, including its enzymes for facilitating biofuels production.

As a result of this deal, Verenium is returning to its original focus on biocatalysis and the development of improved enzymes for industrial applications. Read the press release here.

The winners of the 2010 Presidential Green Chemistry awards include Merck and Codexis for their collaborative work on a new enzyme-based process for manufacturing Januvia and LS9, Inc for its work toward developing a petroleum-like biofuel. The full list of recipients is here.

Craig Venter, together with scientist from his company Synthetic Genomics, recently announced a scientific breakthrough: creation of the first synthetic cell. Here is the brief summary of what was accomplished: a cell had its DNA removed and replaced by DNA designed on a computer and synthesized in the lab, and the cell with the lab-synthesized DNA was able to reproduce. Voila–a new life form was made according to the designed DNA. The future implication are that soon Venter and Co. will be able to design and create a “super bug” ideally designed to churn out larger quantities of fuel compounds that was heretofore possible, and do so from precursors as inexpensive and readily available a carbon dioxide. I cannot predict the timeline, but Venter’s work is the first step in what will likely be a series of scientific accomplishments culminating in a wide range of highly efficient bioprocesses.

What would you call a company that uses a microorganism to produce fuel? Well, according to Bill Sims, CEO of Joule Biotechnologies, not a biofuels company.

Sims was only announced as CEO of Joule yesterday, but he is wasting no time in trying to shine a public light on the company, although his comments are not always very illuminating. Joule has developed what it calls a HelioCulture system that concentrates sunlight and relies on a “highly engineered synthetic organism” that is unidentified but is “not algae” to convert CO₂ and nutrients to produce fuels and chemicals. But since no biomass is used, Sims is trying to avoid the “biofuels” moniker and what he considers to be the negative PR that comes with it.

The basic concept is termed “revolutionary” by Sims, and appears to be similar to that of Craig Venter’s company Synthetic Genomics, which recently announced a large commercialization agreement with Exxon Mobil.

According to Sims, Joule hasn’t worked out its business model yet, preferring to wait for the market to determine whether it is better to produce and sell fuels or license the technology to fuels producers, but that didn’t stop Flagship Ventures from making an initial investment that is termed “substantially less than $50 million.”

It all sounds great, but I see one drawback right away. Ethanol is planned to be the first product, and ethanol is a lousy fuel. And, I am sorry about this Bill, but I am tagging this post under biofuels and biofuels companies. I really wouldn’t know how else to categorize it.

Biofuel company LS9 and Procter & Gamble announced a partnership to develop chemicals  to be used in consumer products. As has been typical with LS9 since its inception, details are sparse, but they have boldly stated that the deal is “multi-year” and includes “sustainable chemicals” in the products under consideration. LS9 has reported that it is developing methods to produce hydrocarbon products for fuels by combining the fatty acid synthesis pathway and adding its own proprietary enzymatic steps.

DSM and French starch producer Roquette announced they will jointly commercialize an innovative fermentation process to produce succinic acid. The process will be piloted at the Roquette site in Lestrem, France by the end of this year (2009), with full commercialization seen by 2011-2012. If successful, this will be a major step for White Biotechnology,replacing a petrochemical-based process with a greener, fermentation process. Read the new story here.