THE GENETIC-ENGINEERING OF MICROBIAL SOLVENT PRODUCTION

Although the production of acetone and butanol by Clostridium strains was a thriving industrial fermentation process, it is no longer compet itive with the chemical synthesis of solvents and has been discontinue d. However, studies on the molecular biology of Clostridium strains su ggest that genetic engineering for improved solvent production is feas ible, and could result in the revival of the industrial fermentation p rocess.