Assignment 2 – April 11, 2006

Worth 10 points and due by the start of class April 18.

Ethanol, CH₃CH₂OH, is the most important renewable liquid fuel for engines normally powered by gasoline or petrol. The most economical source of ethanol in the USA is corn starch. Starch is the main component of corn, Zea mays, seeds.

Part 1 – Describe all the biochemical reactions needed for conversion of corn starch into ethanol including all intermediate molecules and enzymes (3 points).

Corn production requires a high level of fixed nitrogen inputs and industrial nitrogen fixation requires large amounts of energy. The efficiency of crops as sources of renewable energy can be greatly enhanced if they can fix their own nitrogen biologically.

Part 2 – Describe all steps needed to genetically engineer corn to enable it to carry out nitrogen fixation (7 points).