Shell and codexis to collaborate on next-generation biofuels
Quicknote bioenergy technology
Shell Oil Products US, a subsidiary of Shell Oil Company, and Codexis Inc., a privately held biotechnology company, announced they would launch a collaboration to explore enhanced methods of converting biomass to bio-fuels. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Codexis has created technology platforms that can rapidly generate novel biological catalysts with desired commercial properties. The biological catalysts, or biocatalysts, typically fall into two categories: enzymes and fermentation strains. The proprietary technology platforms by which the biocatalysts are developed include molecular breeding directed evolution. This directed evolution platform applies DNA shuffling to generate a library of novel genes or genomes via recombination of selected starting or “parental” genes or genomes.
The encoded library of novel enzymes or strains is then screened for those possessing desirable and improved properties. This process can be repeated several times until the resulting enzymes or strains meet or exceed a certain efficiency benchmark as determined by the desired process conditions. According to the company, this shuffling process is dramatically faster than conventional cell genetics techniques and can increase product development speed by several orders of magnitude:
The process results in highly specific, improved enzymes that can be used for the conversion of biomass into a series of next-generation fuels.
ethanol :: biodiesel :: biobutanol :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: enzymes ::
Shell Oil Products US, a subsidiary of Shell Oil Company, and Codexis Inc., a privately held biotechnology company, announced they would launch a collaboration to explore enhanced methods of converting biomass to bio-fuels. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Codexis has created technology platforms that can rapidly generate novel biological catalysts with desired commercial properties. The biological catalysts, or biocatalysts, typically fall into two categories: enzymes and fermentation strains. The proprietary technology platforms by which the biocatalysts are developed include molecular breeding directed evolution. This directed evolution platform applies DNA shuffling to generate a library of novel genes or genomes via recombination of selected starting or “parental” genes or genomes.
The encoded library of novel enzymes or strains is then screened for those possessing desirable and improved properties. This process can be repeated several times until the resulting enzymes or strains meet or exceed a certain efficiency benchmark as determined by the desired process conditions. According to the company, this shuffling process is dramatically faster than conventional cell genetics techniques and can increase product development speed by several orders of magnitude:
The process results in highly specific, improved enzymes that can be used for the conversion of biomass into a series of next-generation fuels.
Our proven biocatalytic approach should provide the critical pathway to developing economically feasible alternative transportation fuels from renewable resources. We are pleased to be partnering with Shell, a world leader in energy, to undertake this important effort. - Alan Shaw, Ph.D., Codexis President and Chief Executive Officer.Shell has been involved in developing bio-fuels for more than 30 years, and believes it is the world’s largest distributor of transport bio-fuels today. The company sold nearly 800 million gallons (3 billion liters) of bio-fuel in 2005, mostly in the United States and Brazil. Shell also markets fuels containing bio-components in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, the Philippines, Sweden and Thailand [entry ends here].
ethanol :: biodiesel :: biobutanol :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: enzymes ::
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