Project Number: 3620-41000-121-07
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jan 01, 2009
End Date: Jan 01, 2010

Objective:
The objective of this agreement is to use an existing high-throughput robotic platform and automated protocols to produce multiple recombinant lipase enzyme open reading frames for high-levels of expression in fuel ethanol yeast strains. The set of lipases would be optimized for biodiesel production and bound to the chromatographic column(s) developed for transesterification and purification of the fatty acid ethyl esters.

Approach:
Current dry grind and wet mill processes for fuel ethanol production from starch yield large amounts of corn oil as one of the byproducts. This crude corn oil is a suitable feedstock for production of fatty acid ethyl esters for use as biodiesel, which could be produced on-site at an ethanol biorefinery. The conversion of corn oil to fatty acid ethyl esters requires transesterification and purification of the corn oil triacylglycerides to yield the constituent ester and glycerol components. Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC) is a major manufacturer of ion exchange resins for chromatography separation and has expertise in development of ion exchange resins for separation and purification of biodiesel fuel. The applications of such resin beads are direct transesterification of triacylglycerides or enzymatic reactions of biopolymers. ARS, NCAUR has expertise in engineering fuel ethanol yeast strains for high-level expression of enzymes and co-products of commercial value. It is proposed that NCAUR yeast strains that are being developed for industrial production of bioethanol from cellulosic biomass be engineered to stably express high-activity lipases to catalyze one-step transesterification of corn oil for production of biodiesel. IBC Certified 2/4/09.