Advanced green biopolymers from engineered erwinia LJJL01
Utilizing engineered Erwinia LJJL01 for sustainable biopolymer production from waste substrates, including food and plastic waste, to create high-value chemicals and biofibers supporting a circular economy.
Overview
Southern Illinois University's innovative approach utilizes the engineered Erwinia LJJL01 strain to convert unconventional waste substrates into valuable biopolymers. This technology targets the production of chemicals like acetoin, lactic acid, and functionalized PHB, which are integral in manufacturing advanced biofibers. It offers a sustainable solution by leveraging food and plastic waste, aligning with circular economy principles, and reducing dependency on traditional chemical synthesis processes.
Technical specifications
- Engineered Erwinia LJJL01 can biotransform sugars, acids, and aromatics into native and engineered chemical products.
- The process includes genetic tools applicable to other microbes and enables the production of methylated xanthines, muconate, PHB, and polyamide.
- The technology can achieve high yields, e.g., converting caffeine to theobromine at unprecedented levels (8 g/L).
- Aimed at producing polymers for biofibers with scalability to semi-pilot levels within two years, involving high-cell-density fermentation techniques.
Technology readiness level
This innovation is currently at Technology Readiness Level 4, having been validated in laboratory settings. Plans for semi-pilot production and further scale-up are underway, with potential collaborations for larger scale testing and commercial deployment.
About Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a comprehensive public R1 research university serving the southern Illinois region with broad graduate and professional programs. Industry partners tap a campus research park and business incubator, a coordinated Office of Innovation and Economic Development, and statewide innovation‑network ties that streamline access to talent, facilities, and sponsored research. Through the SIU School of Medicine and its clinical network, companies can engage in translational and clinical collaborations across downstate Illinois. Research is supported by competitive federal and state funding, managed centrally through the Office of Sponsored Projects Administration. A dedicated technology transfer office manages IP, licensing, and industry agreements to accelerate commercialization.
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