New Enzyme May Lead to Cheaper Bio Fuel

New Enzyme May Lead to Cheaper Bio Fuel

Ronak Shah

Author: Tiffany Stecker

Published: August 16th 2013

 http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=new-enzyme-may-lead-to-cheaper-biofuels

Summary:

A team of scientists has discovered a new plant enzyme the could lead to a breakthrough in making cellulosic bio-based bio fuels made from crop wastes, chemicals and plastics to lower the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. The enzyme is caffeoyl shikimate esterase (CSE). CSE's genes can be switched off to control the formation of Lignin which is the structure of cells that makes plants rigid which makes it difficult to to extract sugar from waste to make bio fuels. CSE has been elusive until now. The fact the bio fuels are based on extracted sugars that ferment into alcohol to be used as fuel. CSE blocks the production of polymers for Lignin making it easier to get into the plant to extract the sugar with less energy. 

Connection:

This study relates to our studies about enzymes in class. We learned about how all enzymes have different properties and how the use synthesis to build up polymers and decomposition to break them down, as well as how the lower activation energy to make reactions more efficient. In this case, the CSE stops building up or synthesizing  the lignin making the plants less ridged, making it easier to harvest the sugar. This also connects to when we learned about a fossil fuels that are creating a hole in the ozone with the extra carbon. These bio fuels lower the amount of carbon in the atmosphere because they are cleaner than fossil fuels and are reusable because they come from plants. This article connects to our studies in class because it contains enzymes and fossil fuels and reusable energy.