Alcohol production - (Nov/23/2012 )
I know fermentation is always yeast. Is there however any bacteria that can produce ethanol rather than be killed by it? There are plenty of bacteria that live in hostile environments I just wondered if there are any that are resistant enough to alcohol so that that actually produce it in a similar way to yeast.
Some do this such as Sarcina ventriculi or Zymomonas mobilis.
Have a look here: K. Tonomura : Ethanol fermentation in bacteria. In: Seikagaku. The Journal of Japanese Biochemical Society. Gakkai, Tokyo 59.1987,10, S. 1148-1154.
a thermophilic Chlostridium: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC211207/
or a bioengineered E coli: http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/02/engineered-e-coli-produces-ethanol-from-seaweed/
twood on Fri Nov 23 09:41:46 2012 said:
I know fermentation is always yeast. Is there however any bacteria that can produce ethanol rather than be killed by it? There are plenty of bacteria that live in hostile environments I just wondered if there are any that are resistant enough to alcohol so that that actually produce it in a similar way to yeast.
check wine production for example (Malolactic fermentation)
Not only yeast are tolerant against ethanol.
You do need to keep in mind that the yeast (not all yeast are tolerant) that is tolerant is tolerant because of selection over the many years.
Most attention went to the yeast and not so much the bacteria... so its not abnormal that people now more about the yeast then the bacteria.