29-Oct-2024
Newly discovered cyanobacteria could help sequester carbon from oceans and factories
Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at HarvardPeer-Reviewed Publication
What if a microbe could help curb the climate crisis? Meet UTEX-3222, aka "Chonkus," a cyanobacterium discovered living in the volcanic CO₂ seeps off the coast of Vulcano, Sicily. Chonkus is like other photosynthetic cyanobacteria in that it consumes CO₂ and incorporates it into its cells. However, what sets UTEX-3222 apart is its rapid, high-density growth, which allows it to consume CO₂ more efficiently than most other similar currently known cyanobacteria. It is also 5 to 10 times larger than the average microbial cell, allowing it to sink quickly after consuming CO₂ so the carbon can be sequestered or captured for use in biomanufacturing.
- Journal
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology
- Funder
- DOE/US Department of Energy, U.S. National Science Foundation, SeedLabs, WorldQuant Foundation, Weill Cornell Medical College, International CO2 Natural Analogues (ICONA) Network