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Dr. Gary Strobel from Montana State University released news of a novel fungus that makes diesel compounds directly from cellulose. The fungus has been discovered in the Patagonian rainforest of Southern Chile.
Professor Strobel’s paper, published in the November issue of Microbiology, is based on his discovery of the unique properties of the Patagonian fungus Gliocladeum roseum, living in the tissue of the Ulmo tree. G. roseum is an endophyte (a plant that lives between the cells of another plant) that produces a number of different complex molecules made of hydrogen and carbon found in diesel.
Strobel calls the fuel produced by the fungus "mycodiesel" and he acknowledges that although G. roseum produces only diesel fumes he and his team will try to identify exactly what is responsible for the production of the hydrocarbon vapors.
Scott Strobel, a member of the team, is already attempting to isolate the genes responsible for G. roseum’s diesel making properties. “If you can identify that, you can hopefully scale it up so you end up with better efficiency of production” said Scott Strobel. Ultimately, scientists in a variety of disci-plines may be able to combine their talents to optimize production and find a way to turn what is essentially a vapor into liquid fuel.
Dr. Gary Strobel’s statement about G. roseum pronouncing that “this is the only organism that has ever been shown to produce such an important combination of fuel substances” should be taken with a grain of salt. Fuel termed biodiesel can be processed from algae and research in this process is currently underway. Algae has special appeal because the organism can reproductively double in 24 hours and readily converts sunlight and carbon dioxide into hydrocarbon fuel.
Perhaps we should overlook Dr Srobels excitement and possible hyperbole as he expounds on the wonder and potential of Gliocladeum roseum. It’s quite a story.
Equally or more interesting is the story of how Dr. Strobel initially discovered its special properties and the special and beneficial properties of many other endophytes that he and his colleagues have discovered over the years.
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