A cell-free manufacturing technique using yeast could yield a cleaner, greener way of synthesizing chemicals.
New research finds that cell-free biosynthesis using Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer’s yeast) can produce 2,3-butanediol, glycerol, and itaconic acid — three chemicals with a variety of industrial uses — at rates up to 10 times faster than biosynthesis using whole cells. These rates are still low compared to typical petrochemical-based processes, but are a promising step toward a competitive industrial process, says Michael Jewett, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern Univ.
Many efforts to sustainably produce chemicals involve engineering living cells to synthesize the desired product. But this can be a tug-of-war between nature and engineering. “Cells are greedy,” Jewett says. “They want to grow, reproduce, and survive.” Producing sustainable raw materials to make a carpet or a Coke bottle isn’t high on their agenda...
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