Scientists successully get E. coli to produce gasoline

[Sledgstone 8,672]

http://www.dvice.com/2013-9-30/scientists-successully-get-e-coli-produce-gasoline

 

Normally, E. coli is nothing more than a pesky food-spoiling bacteria, and the bane of toddler-rearing mothers everywhere. Yet, Korean scientists have found a way to produce gasoline from the germ using the power of metabolic engineering. It's like turning poop into gold, kind of.

Gasoline, as we all know, is a money-making, war-causing and life-sustaining substance. Yet, its chemical composition is relatively simple, as it is composed entirely of hydrocarbons (or alkanes), additives and blending agents. Though scientists have successfully formulated long-chain alkanes in the past, which creates diesel fuel, they've had trouble creating the short-chain ones that are good for creating a gasoline-like substance.

Enter the genius Korean scientists from Daejon, South Korea, who used metabolic engineering to create fatty acid derivatives that are shorter than normal, allowing the biosynthesis of short-chain alkanes. Translation: E. coli produced gasoline for the very first time.

Not only did the process yield gasoline, but it also enabled researchers to produce fatty esters and alcohols with the addition of different enzymes. That means E. coli may go on to create vegetable oil, detergent and even cosmetics.

The current E. coli-to-gasoline transformation technique is still in the works and not ready to be unleashed on the world just yet, as it has only produced 580 mg of gas per liter. Refinements in concentration, productivity and overall performance are on the itinerary. For now, it's a great first step on the quest for renewable resources in our densely populated world.

 

Wow! Renewable gasoline!

 

[Myk JL 1,731]

I don't know whether to be happy or disturbed.

 

Renewable Gasoline sounds like an amazing way to cheaply cause more pollution if it succeeds in getting rid of the need for Non Renewable Gasoline.

 

On the other hand I now feel the urge to get a motorcycle if Renewable Gasoline is the future that has extremely low gas prices.

[Trigger 250]

I love the idea of renewable gasoline, especially if it means cheaper gas prices at the pump, however I don't think they should stop making and pushing electric cars. Renewable gas would be nice for a short tern fix, if they get it to produce enough that is.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

I think electric cars will be the future.. the biggest problem with them is battery storage. Someone needs to create a new kind of battery that can hold 1000 miles worth of travel on a single charge and has an extremely fast recharge rate. Once that happens, I could see electric cars dominating.

 

The one thing I'd really like about renewable gasoline is that it wouldn't be tied to the price of oil. If oil skyrockets to crazy highs, the price of gas would hardly be affected. Of course, thats only if they can mass produce enough gasoline.

 

Speaking of fuel for cars, I'm surprised Autogas (LPG) isn't more common in the US. I've seen plenty of buses that use it but only one car. Buses that run on LPG hardly have any exhaust. I remember back in the day getting stuck behind a bus.. I'd have to roll the windows up because the stink of their fumes was horrible.