In California, photosynthesis provides energy for the vast majority of life on Earth. But chlorophyll, the green pigment that plants use to harvest sunlight, is relatively inefficient. To enable humans to capture more of the sun’s energy than natural photosynthesis can, scientists have taught bacteria to cover themselves in tiny, highly efficient solar panels to produce useful compounds. Researchers the University of California, Berkeley are focusing on harnessing inorganic semiconductors that can capture sunlight to organisms such as bacteria that can then use the energy to produce useful chemicals from carbon dioxide and water. They work with a naturally occurring, nonphotosynthetic bacterium, Moorella thermoacetica, which, as part of its normal respiration, produces acetic acid from carbon dioxide (CO2). Acetic acid is a versatile chemical that can be readily upgraded to a number of fuels, polymers, pharmaceuticals and commodity chemicals through complementary, genetically engineered bacteria. Tags: California, UC Berkeley Category: Research
Researchers from the University of California , Berkeley , have used inorganic semiconductors to help non - photosynthetic bacteria synthesise energy from carbon dioxide . Photosynthesis in plants provides energy for most of life on earth , but key component chlorophyll is relatively inefficient . Researchers have now used naturally - occurring bacterium Moorella ##e to work with the semiconductors to more efficiently produce acetic acid . The acetic acid can then be upgraded for use in food , pharmaceuticals and some fuels , through genetically - engineered bacteria .