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Boffins beget bacterial biofuel bonanza

Californian boffins have developed a way of producing more powerful biofuels, using genetically modified food-poisoning bacteria. James Liao, biochemical engineering prof at UCLA, led the team which managed to produce long-chain alcohols using the Escherichia coli bacterium, aka E coli, better known for its severe effects when …

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Boffin

Can't live with them, can't live without them

Coli can poison your food but as the name suggests they are more commonly our symbionts and live in our colons. If your coli are removed with powerful antibiotics you will not be a well bunny. So less of the nastiness please and bit of appreciation for all the work they do on your behalf.

Anonymous Coward
Thumb Down

E. coli is benign...

Unless they really did use the strain that causes gastro-intestinal problems, E. coli is a benign bacterium that forms a large part of every person's normal intestinal flora. Nothing harmful about it apart from the one 'bad' strain; hence its widespread use in microbology and biochemistry (harmless, yet very easy to grow). The El Reg appear to have joined the 'bad science' brigade of ignorant and ill-judged reportage (in science as well as in IT). Not a badge to wear with any pride...

Don't believe these fools who say E.coli is good!

Just look at the name - "E coli"! E is a Class A drug which kills people and now they want to put it in our fuel tanks!

Anonymous Coward
Flame

Just think...

If this bug got loose into the wild, so to speak, you really would be able to light your farts!

Flames? Oh yes, definitely that.

Who needs rockets?

Paris Hilton

Anyone else...

.. reminded of the ancient movie Rocket Pants?

The one that shall not be named? because she was also made of hollywood-grade bio-plastics.

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