''Clostridium autoethanogenum'' is an anaerobic bacterium that produces
ethanol
Ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is an Alcohol (chemistry), alcohol, with its formula also written as , or EtOH, where Et is the ps ...
from
carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a poisonous, flammable gas that is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the si ...
, in so-called
syngas fermentation, being one of the few known microorganisms to do so. It is
gram-positive
In bacteriology, gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test, which is traditionally used to quickly classify bacteria into two broad categories according to their type of cell wall.
The Gram stain is ...
,
spore
In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual reproduction, sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for biological dispersal, dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores fo ...
-forming, rod-like,
motile
Motility is the ability of an organism to move independently using metabolic energy. This biological concept encompasses movement at various levels, from whole organisms to cells and subcellular components.
Motility is observed in animals, mi ...
, and was first isolated from rabbit feces. Its type strain is strain JA1-1.
Its genome has been sequenced
and the genes required for utilising carbon monoxide as a sole carbon and energy source have been determined.
Uses
This species is the key to the technology developed by Lanzatech to create ethanol from waste carbon monoxide gas of factory emissions.
References
Further reading
* *
*
External links
*
LPSN
Gram-positive bacteria
autoethanogenum
{{Clostridia-stub