Researchers Focus on Rumen Fungus to Improve Biofuel Processes

A research team at the Oklahoma State University has analyzed a fungus that resides in the gut of ruminant animals, revealing more of its characteristics that make it an interesting candidate for biofuel production.

The team has recently analyzed the genome of the rumen fungus and found multiple unique features. Genomic and experimental analyses indicate that the fungus efficiently degrades a wide range of plant biomasss, such as switchgrass, corn stover, sorghum and energy cane. Research interest in this fungus comes from the fact that it can thrive with complete lack of oxygen (anaerobic), has genetically adapted to co-exist with diverse number of bacteria, and has acquired useful genes from these bacteria, including multiple genes that aid in digestion of plant biomass.

Anaerobic fungi are promising agents for consolidating various processes in biofuel production because many of them have concurrent capability to degrade plant biomass (saccharification) and to convert resulting sugars into ethanol (fermentation). OSU researchers are currently looking into this approach as a way to significantly lower the cost of biofuel production.

The next phase of the team's work will be to improve the ratio of ethanol to acids produced by the degradation of plant biomass with this fungus. The fungus currently produces more acids than ethanol as a final product.