Microbe That Can Handle Ionic Liquids

Researchers have identified a tropical rainforest microbe that can endure relatively high concentrations of an ionic liquid used to dissolve cellulosic biomass for the production of advanced biofuels. They've also determined how the microbe accomplishes this, a discovery that holds broad implications beyond biofuels.

The El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico is a tropical rainforest where a  train of the microbe Enterobacter lignolyticus was found that can tolerate an ionic liquid used to dissolve cellulosic biomass for microbial-based biofuel production. (Photo by Kristen DeAngelis)

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The above story is republished from materials provided by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

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