<![CDATA[Non-GMO, Natural selection, Yeast, Ethanol, Bio-ethanol, Lignocellulosic,
Lignocellulosics, Lignocellulose, Saccharomyces, Hemicelluose, Hemi-cellulose,
C5 sugar, C5 sugars, C5 and C6, sugar, C5 and C6 sugars, Fermentation, Evolution,
Accelerated natural selection,
Currently, most ethanol production uses strains of S. cerevisiae that
are highly adapted to the industrial process of converting feedstocks such as
corn and cane sugar into <font color="#FFFFFF">ethanol. These yeast strains
combine efficient conversion of sugars into ethanol, with other important
industrial characteristics such as low nutrient requirements, ethanol
resistance, tolerance to low pH, and general robustness.<br>
<br>
The corn and sugar feed-stocks used today, whilst underpinning ethanol
production of at least 10 billion gallons per year, are not abundant enough to
replace a significant percentage of the estimated one trillion gallons of liquid
fossil fuels used world wide each year. In addition to limitations in quantity,
the current feed-stocks are relatively expensive since they have high value as
human and animal food. Thus the current ethanol manufacturing process cannot
provide enough competitively priced ethanol to significantly replace petroleum
fuels on a global scale.<br>
<br>
One alternative source of renewable substrates for large scale bio-ethanol
production is the plant biomass termed lignocellulose. Relative to traditional
feedstocks, lignocellulose is in plentiful supply at low cost. Sources include
corn stover, sugar cane bagasse, wheat and rice straw, forestry wastes, waste
paper, and other plant based wastes. Their usage would be relatively low cost
because they are waste by-products from other industries such as agriculture and
are not used as human food.<br>
<br>
However, to convert lignocellulose to ethanol, it must be first broken down into
its component sugars, and the sugars must then be fermented. The breakdown, or
de-polymerization, of lignocellulose can be achieved through either chemical
(e.g. acid hydrolysis) or enzymatic means. Currently, considerable effort is
being directed to the enzymatic approach, as this is a clean, efficient and
potentially cost effective method. The sugars generated from lignocellulose are
a mixture of hexoses (e.g. glucose), and pentoses (e.g. xylose and arabinose).
<br>
<br>
The hexose sugars can be readily fermented into ethanol using industrial strains
of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, yeast varieties of the genus
Saccharomyces have not been found that can ferment pentose sugars such as xylose
into ethanol. In addition, despite extensive searching, no other organisms have
been found that combine all the industrially relevant characteristics required
for cost-effective fermentation of xylose into ethanol. The inability of current
organisms to ferment pentoses such as xylose and arabinose into ethanol
represents a major barrier to the lignocellulose-to-ethanol industry.<br>
<br>
Since scientific dogma states that Saccharomyces cannot grow on xylose, a key
goal for yeast researchers has been to use genetic engineering to develop
strains of S. cerevisiae that can ferment xylose into ethanol. In most of these
strategies, genes from other organisms have been introduced into S. cerevisiae
enabling it to ferment xylose, albeit initially at relatively low rates. To
improve these rates further pure genetic engineering approaches have been used
with some success. In addition, some groups have recently started supplementing
pure genetic engineering approaches with evolutionary approaches to improve the
xylose fermentation rates in genetically engineered organisms.<br>
<br>
Despite the progress made through genetic engineering, strains are yet to emerge
that are used for the commercial production of ethanol from lignocellulose
derived sugars. One challenge facing the pure genetic engineering approach is
the difficulty in optimising the genes in yeast that govern the multiple traits
associated with efficient industrial application. Since fermentation is a core
metabolic function, this necessarily involves many of the 6,000 genes in the
yeast genome. <br>
<br>
Manipulating the genes of yeast in a systematic way by using genetic engineering
techniques can offer a considerable insight to the mechanisms involved in
efficient ethanol production under industrial conditions. However, to use this
approach to generate industrially useful strains is challenging because of the
potentially large number of genes that need to be manipulated and optimised in
concert. <br>
<br>
A second challenge facing all recombinant DNA technology approaches is that once
genetic engineering is used to modify yeast, the organism's release into the
environment is subject to many regulatory constraints. These regulatory
constraints (e.g. containment of GM organisms) have the potential to increase
the capital and running costs of producing lignocellulose-derived ethanol.</font><p> </p>
<p><font color="#FFFFFF">Geoff Bell:<br>
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman.<br>
Geoff holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Sydney, plus a
Bachelor of Economics degree and Master of Applied Finance degree from Macquarie
University. He has been an associate director of AME Mineral Economics, a senior
analyst at Prudential-Bache Securities, and a senior analyst and Head of Global
Mining and Australian Research at BNP Paribas Equities. He was also Head of
Company Research for the Asia Pacifc Region for BNP Paribas Equities. Through
his career as an analyst he was top rated in his field for several years and won
a number of industry awards including Best Idea of the Year at the annual
stockbroker awards received the Best Gold Research award from the Australian
Gold Council. He has extensive experience in developing unique research models,
team building, financial analysis and advice. Geoff provides a strong financial
focus and guidance to MBG.<br>
<br>
Dr. Paul Attfield:<br>
Executive Director and Director of Operations. <br>
Paul provides IP and know-how, the fermentation industry contacts and technical
management skills. He has over 30 years experience of technical and management
experience in global food, fermentation and pharmaceutical companies - 20
working on industrial yeasts. He has also worked extensively in academia and
non-commercial research organizations. Paul has served as a member of the
management committee for the Cooperative Research Centre for Food Industry
Innovation. He is highly experienced in technical team building and the
development and management of collaborative projects. Paul is an internationally
recognized yeast technologist with strong contacts in the global microbial
biotech industry. He has a Bachelor of Science (Honors First Class) degree in
applied biology and a Ph.D. in microbial genetics and physiology from the
University of London, UK. Paul has over 80 publications including book chapters,
refereed journal articles and contributions to international and national
scientific and technical meetings.<br>
<br>
Dr. Phil Bell:<br>
Director and Head of R&D.<br>
He provides IP and the drive for technical innovation. Phil has over 15 years
experience in the biotechnology industry, with over 10 years experience in the
development of novel technology in the fields of yeast genetics and
biochemistry, as well as non-GMO strain development technology. Phil holds a
Bachelor of Sciences (Honors) degree from Sydney University and a Ph.D in yeast
biochemistry and molecular genetics from the University of New South Wales. He
has over 30 publications including book chapters, refereed journal articles and
contributions to international and national scientific and technical meetings.
Phil is the inventor/ discoverer of a unique fungal-produced fluorescent
compound that has broad applications in proteomics, genomics, cell labeling and
immunology.<br>
</font></p>
<p><font color="#FFFFFF">Our novel purely non-GM approach is based on our
observation that natural strains of S. Cerevisiae can in fact produce
microscopic colonies using xylose as a sole carbon source, provided they can be
incubated for long enough periods (1-2 months). <br>
This unexpected observation directly contradicts scientific dogma established
for many years, which states that 'Saccharomyces cerevisiae cannot grow at all
on xylose'. Using technology based on natural breeding and evolution we have
been able to generate Saccharomyces yeast strains with improved ability to grow
on xylose. Using our strategies, the rate of improvement in growth rate has been
exponential. Doubling times of yeast have been reduced from over 140 hours to
approximately three hours. Extrapolation of our data predicts that if growth
rates continue to improve according to the current trajectory, growth rates on
xylose equivalent to those observed on glucose will be achieved in approximately
18 months.<br>
<br>
Significantly, ethanol production commenced from our strains when their growth
rates became faster than approximately 6 hours per generation on xylose mineral
minimal medium. The rate of improvement in ethanol production has been
exponential and increased over four fold in five months and is continuing to
improve in concert with growth rate. Our data suggests that we will achieve
industrially relevant rates of ethanol production as early as 18 months from
now. Biochemical investigations into differences between slow and fast growing
strains reveals faster strains have a hundred-fold increase in xylitol
dehydrogenase activities, a 10-fold increase in xylose reductase activity, and
slight increases in xylulose kinase activity. These differences indicate that
our strategy is individually optimising specific activities within the relevant
biochemical pathways.<br>
<br>
Since our classically based technology does not involve any genetic engineering
steps to obtain improved yeasts of industrial quality, the yeast produced are
not subject to the same level of regulatory constraint as GM organisms. In
addition, by incorporating classical genetics technologies we have established
for generating improved yeast for the traditional fermentation industry, we are
aiming to produce yeast strains capable of slotting seamlessly into the
established infrastructure for ethanol manufacture. If these goals can be
achieved, the transition from a corn based ethanol industry to a corn stover
based industry can be accomplished with a minimum of new capital investment.</font></p>
<p><font color="#FFFFFF">10 July 2006:<br>
Australian Federal Government: Future Oil Supply Inquiry<br>
Microbiogen submission to Senate Committee<br>
Oil Supply Inquiry Link<br>
<br>
12 October 2006: <br>
The Energy Alternative: Reporter - Dr Paul Willis<br>
Click this link to play the video<br>
Segment from the ABC science series - Catalyst<br>
<br>
12 October 2006: <br>
The Energy Alternative: Reporter - Dr Paul Willis<br>
Transcript from the ABC science series - Catalyst<br>
Catalyst Transcript Link<br>
<br>
<br>
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