The vast genetic diversity and abundance of the gut microbiome can be a very valuable source of microbial biocatalysts for production of greener energy and new materials. The gut microbiome has already created a revolution in medicine as it contains almost a thousand times more genetic information than the human genome and has been implicated in several hundred human diseases. Biomass (originating from sunlight) such as lignin, cellulose and coal can be potentially converted by gut microbial catalysts to energy for use in transportation and power. For example, the termite gut microbiome can be used to convert coal to methane in a bioreactor and also to other useful intermediate materials. We have built a lumped kinetic model of the numerous enzymatic steps involved in the biotransformation of coal to methane to help understand the genetic and kinetic bottlenecks in the overall microbial reaction process. Xylophagous insects, <i>panaque</i> catfishes, ruminants such as cows and goats, and wood-eating animals such as beavers are other potential sources of gut microbial biocatalysts for future exploitation in energy research.

Gut microbiome: Abundant and diverse source of microbial biocatalysts for greener energy

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.