Methods and Systems for Producing Products Using Engineered Sulfur Oxidizing Bacteria

摘要

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.

主权项

1. A method for producing a biofuel using genetically modified bacteria, said method comprising:
providing bacteria that is genetically modified to oxidize elemental sulfur and reduce iron (SOIRB) and genetically modified to include a particular metabolic pathway to enable them to generate a biofuel; feeding ferric iron to said SOIRB; feeding sulfur, water, and carbon dioxide to said SOIRB; oxidizing said sulfur; reducing said ferric iron; and producing at least one of said biofuel, ferrous iron, sulfate, excess ferric iron, and an SOIRB biomass.