Objective We aim to convert an industrial waste product (glycerol) to an environment-friendly biofuel (biobutanol), by using a competitive and efficient system, based on bacterial lipid rafts with gain of function mutants of flotillin, their main scaffold component. Bacterial cells can be used as hosts for biosynthesis of a variety of value-added products as antibiotics or vitamins. The use of recently discovered bacterial lipid rafts to confine the reactions is expected to greatly improve the production levels, when comparing with traditional systems. We will now further improve the yields of synthesis by generating gain of function mutants of B. subtilis flotillin (FloA), a key-role player in lipid rafts scaffolding. These Superflotillins or Flo* will organize more stable, robust and functional rafts. Therefore, they will confine more complex biosynthesis pathways with more enzymes and improve the production yields. We will then test the efficiency of these improved mutants in biosynthesis of biofuels. Five Clostridium spp. enzymes confined in B. subtilis Flo*-rafts will produce biobutanol, an alternative for traditional petroleum, using glycerol waste as a unique carbon source. After the metabolic optimisation of the process, together with our industrial partner (Enantis, CZ) we will scale up the production and assess the project viability for biobutanol production at industrially relevant conditions. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologyengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfossil energypetroleumnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculeslipidsengineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbiofuelsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsenzymes Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2017 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2017 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinator AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Net EU contribution € 158 121,60 Address CALLE SERRANO 117 28006 Madrid Spain See on map Region Comunidad de Madrid Comunidad de Madrid Madrid Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 158 121,60
