Butanols global production

Strain development is crucial for viability of fermentative butanol production. Approaches targeting individual genes, enzymes or pathways can be used, but also approaches at global and system levels are more effective for stress tolerance improvement to improve butanol titre. There are three priority directions for strain development improvement of butanol tolerance, increased butanol production and utilisation of cheap feedstock (utilisation of various monosaccharides and resistance to microbial inhibitors). Clostridia have potential as a commercial strain, but heterologous hosts might prove advantageous, due to the homofermentative pathway (Branduardi et al. 2014 Xue et al. 2013a). 

Global propylene demand is about SOmillion tons. It is mainly used in the production of polypropylene (60% of propylene demand), and it is consumed for the production of propylene oxide, acrylontrile, acrylic acid, and butanol. Different methods are available for the production of bio-based propylene. 

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