Difference between revisions of "Team:MIT"

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Biodiesel is an energy source with numerous environmental benefits. FAMEs (fatty acid methyl esters) and FAEEs (fatty acid ethyl esters) are comparable components of biodiesel. Of the two, only FAMEs are currently produced industrially, but they are not truly renewable resources because they rely on natural gas. A co-culture of bacteria can be designed to produce FAEEs from cellulose. However, current production methods are not reliable or economical since bacterial cultures are difficult to maintain. In a consortium of bacteria, one species of bacteria may outgrow the other and the bacteria are sensitive to change in pH, temperature, and substrate and by-product concentrations; thus, they may shift their metabolisms or die. Our project aims to change that.  
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The environmental benefits of biodiesel are numerous. To be truly renewable, fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) should be used for biodiesel production, but currently only natural gas dependent fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) are used for the industrial production of biodiesel. Bacterial co-cultures can be designed to produce FAEEs from cellulose, but they are unstable and require significant maintenance. We are genetically modifying two species of bacteria to grow in a metabolically linked, self-regulating co-culture that will ultimately serve as the central component of a stable bioreactor for the production of biodiesel.
 
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Revision as of 18:14, 24 June 2015

Project Overview
The environmental benefits of biodiesel are numerous. To be truly renewable, fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) should be used for biodiesel production, but currently only natural gas dependent fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) are used for the industrial production of biodiesel. Bacterial co-cultures can be designed to produce FAEEs from cellulose, but they are unstable and require significant maintenance. We are genetically modifying two species of bacteria to grow in a metabolically linked, self-regulating co-culture that will ultimately serve as the central component of a stable bioreactor for the production of biodiesel.