Microbial electro-photosynthesis

US10385304B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS FOR AND ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY · US

Inventors

• Justin Flory · Scottsdale, US
• Petra Fromme · Mesa, US
• Willem Vermaas · Tempe, US
• Bruce Rittman · Tempe, US
• Cesar Torres · Tempe, US
• Thomas Moore · Dallas, US
• Ana L. Moore · Scottsdale, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 17, 2015
• Grant date: Aug 20, 2019
• Expiry date: Jan 11, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C12N13/00
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for growing photosynthetic organisms lacking Photosystem II (PSII) function using externally supplied electrons shuttled into the organism using redox mediators to improve photosynthetic output and to produce and recover chemicals of interest. By removing PSII, all PAR photons are funneled toward Photosystem I, thereby significantly increasing the theoretical photon utilization efficiency for CO2 fixation, energy storage and the capacity to synthesize valuable chemicals. Additional genetic modification can be performed to insert or enhance specific metabolic pathways to generate products of commercial interest.