Novel Crop Traits

Novel Crop Traits

Through partnerships with agriculture and biotech partners, Arzeda is applying its protein design technology to enable new crop traits. This will simultaneously improve both crop yields and farming resource efficiency. Overall, these traits will make crop production more economically feasible, saleable for a growing population, and more reliant on environmentally friendly biomass cultivation.


1,3-Butadiene

1,3-Butadiene

Butadiene is a simple monomer primarily used to make a variety of synthetic rubber polymers. 1,3-butadiene can also be used in plastic manufacturing, resins, paints, nylon and even rocket fuel. Although it commands a multibillion-dollar market, currently 1,3-butadiene is produced exclusively from petroleum extraction, a process that is both inconsistent in yield and environmentally harmful. Arzeda is working on designing novel enzymes and corresponding pathways to produce a sustainable stream of butadiene from existing biomass sources.


Levulinic Acid

Levulinic Acid

Levulinic acid is one of the most important industrial precursors in the manufacture of plastics, solvents, pharmaceuticals and even biofuels. Because it is a malleable organic starting block that can be chemically converted into a large number of chemical derivatives including esters, olefins, and acrylates, levulinic acid is a high-demand material. Arzeda has been working to engineer new enzymes and pathways to enable bio-based production of levulinic acid in high yield.


Methane

Methane

Methane is one of the simplest naturally occurring organic compounds, and the primary component of natural gas. Its relative low cost and abundance makes it an attractive fuel. Methane production from hydraulic fracturing of rock formations and chemical waste has increased dramatically. Arzeda has initiated a program to utilize methane more efficiently as a source of carbon for the production of more complex chemicals and liquid fuels through fermentation.

Stratos Genomics

Stratos Genomics’ goal is to establish the next gold standard of DNA sequencing with its flagship ‘Sequencing by Expansion’ (SBXTM) method. SBX is a simple, elegant, single-molecule detection process that circumvents the limitations of competing technologies, allowing accurate, ultra-low-cost whole genome sequencing. www.stratosgenomics.com

Mitsubishi

Arzeda announced a partnership with Mitsubishi in February 2016 for the application of Arzeda’s technology for development of an improved process. As well as being a major supplier of MMA monomer, applying its polymer technology gained from synthetic fiber and synthetic resin, Mitsubishi Rayon group’s business, including its hollow fiber membranes, carbon fibers, plastic optical fibers, and other products, helps to improve the aquatic environment, reduce CO2 emissions, and conserve energy.

Zymergen

Since 2013, Zymergen has been applying the latest advances in biology, automation, machine learning, and data architecture to develop new, more efficient and more reliable ways to optimize microorganisms for industrial fermentation. In collaboration with industrial partners, Zymergen has improved the economics of their fermented products by reducing manufacturing costs and/or increasing revenue. Zymergen’s platform leverages the power of biology to make products with superior properties to serve a range of industries and applications. More information is available at www.zymergen.com.

DuPont Pioneer

DuPont Pioneer, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, is the world’s leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics, providing high-quality seeds to farmers in more than 90 countries. Pioneer provides agronomic support and services to help increase farmer productivity and profitability and strives to develop sustainable agricultural systems for people everywhere. Pioneer is teaming with Arzeda to apply Arzeda’s computational design technology for the development of new crop traits and expansion of their existing technologies. www.pioneer.com

National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is a United States government agency that supports basic research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. It has financially supported Arzeda’s efforts on several proof-of-concept programs, but more recently has supported Arzeda’s Levulinic Acid program and platform. www.nsf.gov

ARPA-E

The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, is a United States government agency tasked with promoting and funding research and development of advanced energy technologies. Arzeda was awarded a grant from the REMOTE program, whose goal is developing transformational biological technologies to convert methane to liquids for transportation fuels. This program aims to lower the cost of gas-to-liquid conversion while enabling the use of low-cost, domestically sourced natural gas, for which Arzeda will provide biological solutions.

Invista

INVISTA is one of the world’s largest integrated producers of polymers and fibers, primarily for nylon, spandex and polyester applications. With a presence in over 20 countries, INVISTA’s global businesses deliver exceptional value for their customers through technology innovations, market insights and a powerful portfolio of global trademarks. Arzeda has teamed with INVISTA to enable the bio-based production of butadiene, a key building block molecule for their array of products. www.INVISTA.com