Chromosomal mutations in Escherichia coli that improve tolerance to nonvolatile side-products from dilute acid treatment of sugarcane bagasse

Extrapolation of design strategies for lignocellulosic biomass conversion to the challenge of plastic waste

The goal of cost-effective production of fuels and chemicals from biomass has been a substantial driver of the development of the field of Metabolic Engineering. The resulting design principles and procedures provide a guide for the development of cost-effective methods for degradation, and possibly even valorization, of plastic wastes. Here we highlight these parallels, using the creative work of Lonnie O'Neal (Neal) Ingram in enabling production of fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass, with a focus on ethanol production as an exemplar process.

Microbial adaptive evolution

Bacterial species can adapt to significant changes in their environment by mutation followed by selection, a phenomenon known as “adaptive evolution.” With the development of bioinformatics and genetic engineering, research on adaptive evolution has progressed rapidly, as have applications of the process. In this review, we summarize various mechanisms of bacterial adaptive evolution, the technologies used for studying it, and successful applications of the method in research and industry. We particularly highlight the contributions of Dr. L. O. Ingram. Microbial adaptive evolution has significant impact on our society not only from its industrial applications, but also in the evolution, emergence, and control of various pathogens.