Expression of Extremophile Enzymes as Co-Products from Biofuel-Producing Algae and Cyanobacteria

Background: In recent years industrial scale production of biofuels from microalgal sources has received considerable attention. However the relatively high cost of producing biofuels using these organisms has typically outweighed the economic value derived from the biofuel produced. Consequently there is a need to either cut the cost of producing biofuels using these organisms or increase the value derived from the organisms. Technology Description: Researchers at North Carolina State University have addressed this problem by stably transforming green microalgae to produce not only lipid biofuels but also high value extremophile enzymes and lipids that are useful in industrial biotechnology. Enzyme-based production of chemicals is a rapidly growing industrial sector that is primarily driven by production and use of enzymes from microbial sources including extremophiles. One of the advantages of extremophile enzymes is that they can function in extreme environments present in the industrial setting. For example extremophiles function in environments with extreme temperature pH salinity metal ion concentrations pressure and/or radiation levels. Because of the rapidly growing demand for industrial production of chemicals through enzymes such as these engineering algae and cyanobacteria to produce these extremophile enzymes will make biofuel production from algal and cyanobacterial feedstocks more economically viable. Opportunity for collaboration: North Carolina State University is seeking industry partners to commercialize the expression of extremophile high-value industrial enzymes from biofuel-producing algae and cyanobacteria. Patent Status: A US non-provisional patent application has been filed to protect this invention. 13/983502