C5-6 Technologies and University of Wisconsin Stevens Point scientists will develop a bacterial strain that economically ferments sugars into isoprene, a platform chemical that will play a central role in the future bio-economy. UWSP scientists have genetically engineered E. coli to produce isoprene, a precursor of B-pinene and other fuels, via a novel pathway that has significant potential production yield. These have been used to produce isoprene from pulp mill sludge as a proof of concept. Billions of pounds of high sugar content pulp mill sludge are landfilled yearly. The present work is aimed at improving the conversion rate and efficiency of the UWSP process. Phase I of this research will test a codon-optimized synthetic operon containing all the elements of the pathway to over-produce isoprene in E. coli. A new genetic engineering tool will be used to accelerate the manipulation and optimization of this operon. Isoprene production rates and yields and gene expression data obtained from this study will be used to optimize the productivity of the organism and to develop a biorefinery based on the organism where pulp mill waste products are converted directly to commercially viable levels of isoprene for aviation fuel.
Benefit: Historically, the US chemicals and plastics industry was a global leader in exports, with millions of high-paying jobs. We have lost our competitive advantage over the last two decades, but a growing number of early-stage commercial successes across a range of biobased products indicate this sector has tremendous potential. The biobased products sector should be nurtured so that its benefits can be realized. Economic development impacts from the isoprene pulp mill biorefinery will include the creation of high-valued green jobs, an improved trade balance, the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, enhanced energy security through reduction of dependence on imported foreign oil, and the conversion of a waste product (pulp sludge) into a profitable chemical feedstock and biofuel. A benefit to the federal government is the domestic production of a chemical feedstock that is vital to national security. A substantial economic benefit compared to other biobased chemicals is the simplicity of extracting isoprene from fermentation cultures. Because it is a gas at low temperatures, recovery without the use of costly and energy demanding distillation equipment is significant.
Keywords: Biofuel, Biofuel, bio-refinery, Isoprene, microbial production, pulp mill waste, MEP pathway
