Methods and systems for producing products using engineered sulfur oxidizing bacteria

US9745601B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York · US

Inventors

• Scott Banta · Fairfield, US
• Alan C. West · Tenafly, US
• Timothy Kernan · Pawling, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 15, 2013
• Grant date: Aug 29, 2017
• Expiry date: Feb 15, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E50/10
• WIPO field: Biotechnology
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Methods and systems for producing a biofuel using genetically modified sulfur-oxidizing and iron-reducing bacteria (SOIRB) are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods include the following: providing a SOIRB that have been genetically modified to include a particular metabolic pathway to enable them to generate a biofuel; feeding a first source of ferric iron to the SOIRB; feeding sulfur, water, and carbon dioxide to the SOIRB; producing at least the first particular biofuel, a first source of ferrous iron, sulfate, excess ferric iron, and an SOIRB biomass; electrochemically reducing the excess ferric iron to a second source of ferrous iron; providing an iron-oxidizing bacteria that have been genetically modified to include a particular metabolic pathway to enable them to generate a second biofuel; producing at least the second biofuel, a second source of ferric iron, and an IOB biomass; and feeding the second source of ferric iron to the SOIRB.