Genetic engineering of cyanobacteria for butanol production

Our research project

Native and engineered cyanobacteria have been used by us and many other laboratories as model systems for a long time to examine, demonstrate and develop photobiological H2 production. In addition, more recently, also the production of carbon-containing solar fuels like ethanol, butanol and isoprene have been demonstrated. In addition, similar approaches have been used to engineer cyanobacteria to actively produce carbon-containing molecules like sugars, carbohydrates and other organic molecules.

In the present project we explore different strategies to engineer cyanobacteria to produce butanol.

Reference

• Miao et al (2017) Isobutanol production using Synechocystis PCC 6803 endogenous alcohol dehydrogenases. Metabolic Engineering Communications 5: 45-53. (doi: 10.1016/j.meteno.2017.07.003)