Microbial production of polymer precursors

Lygos technology and business directly supports government wide and USDA SBIR program priorities and societal challenge areas. Benefits established from Lygos processes for production of renewable chemicals include increasing product diversification from US agricultural feedstocks, increasing energy efficiency of manufacturing processes, decreasing carbon dioxide emissions, and increasing US energy independence. This small business innovation research phase I project will support Lygos development of a biocatalyst for conversion of sugar feedstocks into fine and commodity chemicals. The market value for Lygos product targeted herein is currently over $150MM. Market expansion, however, has been historically limited by inefficiences in the incumbent petrochemical production process. Following optimization, Lygos biological manufacturing route is anticipated to be cost advantaged, opening the door to a potential $15B in market opportunities. With regard to societal impact, Lygos microbial processes are based on renewable feedstocks and eliminate use of environmentally hazardous materials.