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Bioethanol production in an industrial bacterium passes through an enzyme


​​​​​Researchers from the CEA-IRIG/IBS and the Max Planck Institute have unraveled a key step in the conversion of the toxic carbon monoxide into ethanol performed by the bacterium Clostridium autoethanogenum. The study reveals the key role of a tungsten-containing enzyme in this remarkable process, bringing new insight into the sustainable production of biofuels from industrial gases.
Published on 4 November 2025

Read this highlight on the website CEA-IRIG/Institut de Biologie Structurale​​

Converting a toxic waste gas into an energetic resource : a solved mystery

Proposed cover for the Nature Chemical Biology journal inspired by this work. CO₂ and CO molecules diffuse into C. autoethanogenum cells toward the CODH/ACS complex, where their conversion via the ferredoxin cycle drives the AFOR enzyme—key to ethanol production and biofuel formation. © Benjamin Large /ScEYEnce illustrations

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