Project Grant 2313152

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Program (CFDA 47.041) Project Grant awarded $479,855 to Trustees of Dartmouth College to conduct research aimed at expanding the substrate range of the cellulolytic microbe Clostridium thermocellum. The goal is to improve understanding of C. thermocellum's metabolism and identify factors limiting its ability to deconstruct lignocellulosic biomass, a major renewable feedstock for biofuels and bioproducts. The project involves characterizing substrate transport and reversibility of central metabolism, identifying mutations to enable growth on alternative substrates, and using those substrates to determine factors limiting ethanol production from C. thermocellum. The research is expected to advance knowledge of atypical glycolysis pathways and substrate range limitations in microbes, supporting efforts to engineer improved industrial microbes for lignocellulose utilization. The award period runs from Dec 15, 2023 to Nov 30, 2026.