What is TriFuels?
TriFuels is an undergraduate research group begun at James Madison University. The purpose of the group is to ultimately produce ethanol from biomass utilizing a fungus known as Trichoderma Reesei. This fungus produces a number of cellulase enzymes. These enzymes actively degrade cellulose, which comprises plant cell walls. The cellulose is linked together with sugar molecules. The cellulase enzymes consume the cellulose matter, leaving the sugar molecules. These sugars can then be fed to yeast to product ethanol.
How Did We Start?
Jamie Artale and Jason Trublood began the alternative fuels research as their Integrated Science and Technology Senior Thesis. Their advisor Dr. Chris Bachmann helped them decide on using the Trichoderma Reesei fungus. Once they purchased the fungus, Sujay Desai and Aaron Schatz joined the team. The initial research revolved around culturing the fungus in a variety of media. The group then expanded when Andrew Jasper and Shane Confer became members. Since then the group has continued their work with the fungus. This year, the team intends to do RT-PCR and examine gene expression. Furthermore, acid treatment and possibly steam explosion experiments will be done on cellulose so that it can readily be degraded by the cellulase enzymes.
Current Progress
TriFuels has successfully cultured Trichoderma Reesei utilizing potato agar. We have done it both in Petri dishes as well as in liquid media. Additionally, we grew the fungus in a five gallon container. However, the fungus grew too quickly and consumed all the available nutrients. As a result, it developed spores and all cellulase enzymes were terminated. Therefore, TriFuels did gel electrophoresis to examine the lifespan of the cellulase enzyme. It appears that the enzyme first appears on the fourth day and reaches its peak by the sixth. The enzyme then begins to disappear by approximately the eighth day. This information will be used this year to determine the ideal time period to extract the cellulase enzyme.
TriFuels also intends to do RT-PCR in order to examine gene expression within the fungus. Custom primers will be designed and the procedure will be done in a hood. Furthermore, the team intends to do acid treatment and is considering steam explosion on cellulose. We hope to produce ethanol within the next year or two.
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Last Modified October 8, 2007