Abstract: The present invention provides derivatives of ethanologenic Escherichia coli K011 constructed for the production of lactic acid. The transformed E. coli of the invention are prepared by deleting the genes that encode competing pathways followed by a growth-based selection for mutants with improved performance. These transformed E. coli are useful for providing an increased supply of lactic acid for use in food and industrial applications.

Abstract: A microbial fuel cell (100) includes an anode compartment (110) including an anode (115) and anolyte (120). The anolyte (120) comprises a plurality of in-vivo cells (125) mixed with a plurality of electrically conducting nano or micro-scale fibers (128), wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electrically conducting fibers (128) are in electrical contact with a surface of the anode (115). A cathode compartment (140) includes a cathode (145) and a catholyte (150). A cation-exchange membrane (155) is disposed between the anode compartment (110) and the cathode compartment (140).

Abstract: The subject invention relates to newly isolated organisms from nature that produce L(+)-lactic acid high yield from hexose and pentose sugars found in biomass. Organisms and processes or methods for the production of lactic acid and other industrially important chemicals from cellulose and hemicellulose are also provided.

Abstract: Novel plasmids comprising genes which code for the alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate decarboxylase are described. Also described are recombinant hosts which have been transformed with genes coding for alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate. By virtue of their transformation with these genes, the recombinant hosts are capable of producing significant amounts of ethanol as a fermentation product. Also disclosed are methods for increasing the growth of recombinant hosts and methods for reducing the accumulation of undesirable metabolic products in the growth medium of these hosts. Also disclosed are recombinant host capable of producing significant amounts of ethanol as a fermentation product of oligosaccharides and plasmids comprising genes encoding polysaccharases, in addition to the genes described above which code for the alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate decarboxylase. Further, methods are described for producing ethanol from oligomeric feedstock using the recombinant hosts described above.