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At least 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

2,3-Butanediol recovery from fermentation broth using membrane pertraction

2,3-Butanediol (BDO) has gained immense interest for use as a platform chemical in the production of many important chemicals such as synthetic rubber, plasticizer, and octane boosters. Using BDO as a precursor for sustainable aviation fuel production may significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the airline industry. However, recovery of BDO is challenging due to its relatively low concentration (∼10 wt %) in fermentation broth and its high affinity for water. In this work, we developed a membrane pertraction process for BDO recovery from biomass derived fermentation broth. Different organic solvents such as hexanol and oleyl alcohol were investigated. With traditional solvent extraction, hexanol required a solvent to feed ratio of 10 to recover >90 % BDO, and oleyl alcohol could recover 35 % of BDO at the same ratio. BDO recovery of >90 % was demonstrated with pertraction; a BDO extraction rate of 15 g 1 m −2 h −1 was achieved using hexanol, and an extraction rate of 10 g 1 m −2 h −1 was achieved using oleyl alcohol. Impurities commonly found in fermentation broth did not affect the separation performance of the pertraction process. In conclusion, this work demonstrates pertraction as a low-footprint, scalable method for recovery of high-purity BDO from fermentation broth.

2,3 butanediol↗
DOE OSTI2023

A general predictive methodology for fuel-mixture properties up to supercritical conditions

A predictive thermodynamic model is utilized for the calculation of fuel properties of oxymethylene dimethyl ethers (OME 3–4 ), surrogates for gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel, as well as alcohol blends with gasoline and diesel. The alcohols used for these blends are methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol and pentanol; their mixing ratio ranges from 10 to 50% by volume. The model is based on the Perturbed-Chain Statistical Association Fluid Theory (PC-SAFT) equation of state (EoS) and Vapor Liquid Equilibrium (VLE) calculations at constant temperature, density and composition. The model includes the association term, with the assumption of two association sites (2B scheme), to enable the modeling of alcohols. The pure-component parameters are estimated based on the Group Contribution (GC) method of various sources, as well as a parametrization model specifically designed for the case of OME 3–4 . The results of the computational model for the density, vapor pressure and distillation curves at various conditions, including high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT), are compared to experimental and computational data available in the literature. In the cases where no measurements are available for the surrogates, experimental data for the corresponding target fuel are used, taking into consideration the inherent deviation in properties between real and surrogate fuel. Overall, the results are in good agreement with the data from the literature, with the average deviation not exceeding 12% for temperature (Kelvin) on the distillation curves, 10% for density and 46% for vapor pressure and the general trend being captured successfully. The use of different pure component parameter estimation techniques can further improve the prediction quality in the cases of OME3–4 and the aviation fuel surrogate, especially for the vapor pressure, leading to an average deviation lower than 18%. These results demonstrate the predictive capabilities of the model, which extend to a wide range of fuel types and pressure/temperature conditions. Through this investigation, the present work aims to establish the limits of applicability of this thermodynamic property prediction methodology.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Importance of hydrogen bonding in base-catalyzed transesterification reactions with vicinal diols

The transesterification reaction kinetics of 2-(benzoyloxy)ethyl benzoate with various alcohols (ethylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 1-butanol, propylene glycol and 1,2-butylene glycol) using various cyclic amidine catalysts were investigated. For transesterification with excess glycol (glycolysis), the rate was nearly zero order in diester and glycol concentration, which is substantially different from classical transesterification kinetics with mono-alcohols. The measured kinetic parameters during glycolysis are consistent with a reaction path that is kinetically limited by the decomposition of the reaction intermediate formed from the alkoxide and diester. The DFT-calculated reaction energy and activation barrier for decomposition of this intermediate reveal a critical role of intramolecular hydrogen-bond stabilization made possible by the vicinal –OH of the glycol that effectively increases the concentration of the intermediate during reaction resulting in acceleration of the overall transesterification rate. In conclusion, these findings indicate the nature of both the alcohol solvent and the catalyst influence transesterification rate, and results suggest they are also important in the deconstruction of carbonyl-containing condensation polymers.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Impact of polymer additives on crack mitigation of rod-coated fuel cell cathode catalyst layers

Cracks in catalyst layers (CLs) are a potential source of long-term failure in a fuel cell membrane electrode assembly (MEA). While modifications to the CL ink formulation can affect the degree of cracking, these changes may lead to lower initial performance than their cracked analogues due to the established link between formulation and performance. In this work, we explored the use of polymeric additives to mitigate CL cracks. Small quantities of poly (acrylic acid), poly (ethylene oxide), poly (methyl methacrylate), or poly (vinyl alcohol) - 5 wt% relative to ionomer mass - were added to the ink prior to its final mixing. Poly (vinyl alcohol) resulted in crack-free CLs, whereas the other polymers resulted in CLs with similar crack percentages as the control CL. Through a combination of transmission electron microscopy, X-ray computed tomography, and infrared spectroscopy, we ascribed the crack-mitigating mechanism of poly (vinyl alcohol) to its ability to hydrogen-bond with Nafion, the ion conducting polymer binder in the catalyst ink. Initial performance of this non-cracked electrode exhibited nearly identical electrochemical behavior to its cracked counterpart, demonstrating that PVA additives successfully reduce cracks while maintaining cell initial performance.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2021

Design of a bifunctional TEMPO-tertiary amine mesoporous silica catalyst for the three-step cascade synthesis of a chromene derivative

A key challenge is design of materials and processes whereby competing reagents or conditions do not harm the multi-step sequence, thus allowing for more efficient chemical synthesis with elimination of work-up and separation steps. In this work, a three-step reaction cascade is performed using a porous bifunctional dimethylpropylamine-TEMPO-MCM41 catalyst, converting the commodity chemicals benzyl alcohol, sodium hypochlorite, and malononitrile to a biologically active anti-cancer, and anti-malarial 2-amino-chromene derivative. The cascade first utilizes a TEMPO-catalyzed oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde with NaOCl as the terminal oxidant. This is followed by a two-step, dual base catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation with malononitrile followed by a Michael addition with lawsone. Optimal conditions converting benzyl alcohol to 2-amino-5,10-dioxo-4-phenyl-5,10-dihydro-4H-benzo[g]chromene-3-carbonitrile include the delayed addition of malononitrile and lawsone during the three-step reaction sequence, which results in a 2-amino-chromene yield of over 80%. The importance of stepwise reagent addition is rationalized due to the unfavorable adsorption of acidic lawsone on the surface-grafted base catalyst. Tertiary Brønsted base sites of dimethylpropylamine outperform the more Lewis basic primary propylamine functionalized catalyst. This work outlines a simple and effective method for generating mesoporous materials with two types of active sites via co-condensation and thiol-ene coupling procedures.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Experimental and kinetic modeling study of the low- temperature and high-pressure combustion chemistry of straight chain pentanol isomers: 1-, 2- and 3-Pentanol

Pentanols have received significant attention as a potential alternative fuel or fuel additive owing to their high energy densities and low vapor pressure. The development of robust chemical kinetic models for alternative fuels which can provide accurate and efficient predictions of combustion performance across a wide range of engine relevant conditions is important in developing cleaner, more efficient combustors. Although the high temperature oxidation kinetics of pentanol isomers has been researched considerably, their low temperature combustion chemistry needs further investigation. While previously proposed low temperature mechanisms for 1-pentanol based on analogy and rate rules need further refinement, the low temperature oxidation kinetics of 2-pentanol and 3-pentanol has not been studied previously by any means, experimentally or theoretically. A newly developed kinetic mechanism is presented in this work for the three straight chain pentanol isomers: 1-, 2- and 3-pentanol. Low temperature kinetics is based on a recent study by Lockwood et al., 2022 [20] involving theoretical calculations at the CCSD(T)/cc-pV∞Z level of theory for the oxidation pathways involving alcohol peroxy radicals. Rate of production analyses performed in this study highlight the importance of the newly added pressure-dependent reactions of the α-alcohol peroxy radical forming an RO 2 adduct. While the α-alcohol fuel radical reacts with O 2 to directly decompose via a chemically activated pathway at low pressures, the formation of the RO 2 adduct is favored at high pressures. Furthermore, the detailed model is comprehensively validated against new ignition experiments at low temperature and high pressure, together with the wide range of data available in the literature. Both qualitative and quantitative predictions of the experimental data using the proposed kinetic model are satisfactory for all three pentanol isomers studied here.

1-pentanol↗
DOE OSTI2024

Mechanistic Insights into the Electrochemical Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural on a Thin-Film Ni Anode

The electrochemical oxidation of alcohols is being explored as a favorable substitute for the oxygen evolution reaction owing to its capability to generate high-value products and lower overpotentials. Herein, we present a systematic investigation into the electrochemical oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a model biomass platform chemical, on a thin-film nickel catalyst, aiming to investigate the underlying reaction mechanism and shed light on the role of the catalyst’s microenvironment and phase on activity and product selectivity. Utilizing a combined experimental and computational approach, we demonstrate that NiOOH is the active phase for HMF oxidation. Additionally, we find a substantial impact of the electrochemical environment, particularly the electrolyte pH, on the reaction. Under highly alkaline conditions (pH = 13), higher activity for HMF oxidation is observed, accompanied by an increased selectivity toward 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) production. Conversely, a less alkaline environment (pH = 11) results in diminished HMF oxidation activity and a higher preference for the partial oxidation product 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF). Mechanistic insights from DFT studies reveal that geminal diols that are present under highly alkaline conditions undergo hydride transfer via HMFCA, while a shift to an alkoxide route occurs at a lower pH, favoring the DFF pathway. Hydride transfer energetics are also strongly affected by the surface Ni oxidation state. Finally, this integrated approach, bridging experimental and computational insights, provides a general framework for investigating the electrochemical oxidation of aldehydes and alcohols, thereby advancing rational design strategies in electrocatalysts for alcohol electro-oxidation reactions.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Base-Free Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of Alkyl Formates and Organic Esters at Mild Temperature

The pincer-ligated ruthenium complex ( iPr PN H P)Ru(CO)H 2 ( iPr PN H P = ( i Pr 2 PC 2 H 4 ) 2 NH) is an active catalyst for the transfer hydrogenation of alkyl formates (HCO 2 R) and organic esters (RCO 2 R′) to the corresponding alcohols under base-free reaction conditions at mild temperatures. Specifically, a range of alkyl formate esters were reduced to MeOH and the corresponding alcohols in high yields using ( iPr PN H P)Ru(CO)H 2 as the catalyst and isopropanol ( i PrOH) as the hydrogen donor at 30 °C. The first step in the process is the metal-catalyzed transesterification of the alkyl formate with i PrOH to generate isopropyl formate, which is then reduced. The use of i PrOH as the hydrogen donor is crucial. ( iPr PN H P)Ru(CO)H 2 can also catalyze the transfer hydrogenation of a broad range of organic esters, including cyclic, acyclic, heteroatom-substituted, and long-chain bio-derived esters, to the corresponding alcohols in good yields using ethanol (EtOH) as the hydrogen donor at 55 °C. Computational studies were used to elucidate the proposed pathway for alkyl formate reduction and the underlying reasons why i PrOH is the most effective hydrogen donor for alkyl formate reduction, while EtOH is optimal for organic ester reduction. Overall, this work describes a highly active catalyst for alkyl formate and organic ester transfer hydrogenation and provides mechanistic insight into the factors responsible for the strong catalytic performance. Finally, these findings will be valuable for designing catalysts for both transfer hydrogenation and related reactions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Lignin Monomers from beyond the Canonical Monolignol Biosynthetic Pathway: Another Brick in the Wall

Lignin is conventionally defined as being formed by the oxidative polymerization of three main monolignols, p-coumaryl alcohol, coniferyl alcohol, and sinapyl alcohol, that are derived from the general phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway. Many other phenolic compounds that are also derived from the phenylpropanoid pathway are also known to perform as genuine lignin monomers in many plants, as is the case of the monolignol ester conjugates, phenolic compounds arising from the truncated biosynthesis of monolignols, or ferulate esters. Recent investigations, however, have indicated that phenolic compounds arising from beyond the canonical phenylpropanoid pathway, namely flavonoids, hydroxystilbenes, and hydroxycinnamic amides, may also behave as authentic lignin monomers and are incorporated into the lignin in some plants, further challenging the traditional definition of lignin. This is the case of the flavone tricin that is incorporated into the lignin of grasses and other monocots, the hydroxystilbene piceatannol (together with resveratrol and isorhapontigenin, at lower levels) that has been found in the lignins of palm fruit shells, their respective O-glucosides (astringin, piceid, and isorhapontin) that are present in the lignin of Norway spruce bark, or the ferulic amides feruloyltyramine, incorporated into the lignin of tobacco and potato tubers, and diferuloylputrescine, which appears to be incorporated into maize kernel lignin. These valuable compounds are potentially available in high amounts and at low cost and may be obtained from the waste products from the processing of agricultural or forest biomass.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Interfacial acidity on the strontium titanate surface: a scaling paradigm and the role of the hydrogen bond

A fundamental understanding of acidity at an interface, as mediated by structure and molecule–surface interactions, is essential to elucidate the mechanisms of a range of chemical transformations. While the strength of an acid in homogeneous gas and solution phases is conceptually well understood, acid–base chemistry at heterogeneous interfaces is notoriously more complicated. Using density functional theory and nonlinear vibrational spectroscopy, we present a method to determine the interfacial Brønsted–Lowry acidity of aliphatic alcohols adsorbed on the (100) surface of the model perovskite, strontium titanate. Here, while shorter and less branched alkanols are known to be less acidic in the gas phase and more acidic in solution, here we show that shorter alcohols are less acidic whereas less substituted alkanols are more acidic at the gas–oxide interface. Hydrogen bonding plays a critical role in defining acidity, whereas structure–acidity relationships are dominated by van der Waals interactions between the alcohol and the surface.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Uncovering the active sites and demonstrating stable catalyst for the cost-effective conversion of ethanol to 1-butanol

We report the recent emergence of a robust renewable ethanol industry has provided a sustainable platform molecule toward the production of value-added chemicals and fuels; what is lacking now are viable conversion processes from ethanol that can displace the current production pathways from non-renewable pathways. Here in the work, we demonstrate the highly selective conversion of ethanol to higher alcohols over low copper loaded MgAl mixed oxide catalysts, with 50% improvement in higher alcohol yields over the current state of the art. At these copper concentrations, atomically dispersed Cu +1 were found to be stable even at highly reductive conditions and highly active towards higher alcohol products (e.g. butanol, hexanol) while suppressing side reaction pathways and leading to extended lifetimes of over 150 hours time on stream. Technoeconomic analysis conducted based on these experimental results demonstrate that this catalytic system is cost-competitive with the conventional process. This marks significant progress in the development of Guerbet coupling of ethanol as a viable renewable process and offers a pathway toward sustainable chemical and fuel production.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Towards cost-competitive middle distillate fuels from ethanol within a market-flexible C2 platform-based biorefinery concept

Ethanol to middle distillates (ETMD) is a promising pathway to produce sustainable liquid fuels to decarbonize the hard-to-electrify transportation sectors due to (1) the abundant sugar/starch and lignocellulosic biomass, (2) the existing deployment scale of fuel ethanol production (similar to 29 billion gallons per year globally), and (3) emerging opportunities in C2+ alcohol synthesis from CO2. Here we report a conceptual market-responsive biorefinery centered around a new ETMD pathway based on one-step ethanol to butene-rich olefins (ETO) over a Cu-Zn-Y/Beta catalyst. Specifically, this ethanol conversion pathway comprises one-step ETO, oligomerization, and hydrotreating. This ETO is distinct from that in the conventional ethanol-to-jet process which is based on two-step ethanol to ethylene and ethylene oligomerization to butenes. Butene-rich olefins can be shifted to butadiene-rich products by simply changing the reaction atmosphere from hydrogen to inert gas over the same ETO catalyst. Leveraging the experimental results, baseline techno-economic analysis (TEA) and sensitivity analysis indicate that the ethanol conversion cost is $0.60 per gallon gasoline equivalent (GGE), with opportunities for further cost reduction via improving the liquid hydrocarbon yield and space velocities, and process optimization on balancing dewatering of ethanol feed prior to the ETO step. The minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) of liquid hydrocarbons derived from corn starch ethanol with butadiene as coproduct is $1.64 per GGE, in the range that is cost competitive with petroleum kerosene-type jet fuel. Projected MFSP for cellulosic ethanol (corn stover) derived hydrocarbons is below $3.00 per GGE and co-production of butadiene further reduces the MFSP to $1.70 per GGE. The Well-to-Wake life-cycle analysis indicates that 85% greenhouse gas emission reduction can be achieved when using corn stover compared to petroleum reference and the associated carbon credits will provide significant economic incentives to favor the cellulosic ethanol-derived hydrocarbon fuels. This study demonstrates a low-cost pathway to middle distillate fuels leveraging existing ethanol infrastructure, where catalysis innovation drives the reduction of process complexity and flexible coproduction of a value-added chemical product.

Zhang, Junyan↗
DOE OSTI2025

Insights into the mechanism of electrochemical chloride oxidation in ethanol from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, quiescent solution voltammetry, and rotating ring-disk electrodes

The wide availability of bio-derived alcohols provides the impetus to develop processes that convert them to valuable chemicals. The chloride ion is a redox mediator for electrocatalytic ethanol oxidation to 1,1-diethoxyethane (1,1-DEE) through an ethyl hypochlorite (EtOCl) intermediate, and this paper describes the chloride oxidation reaction (COR) to EtOCl on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode. Voltammetry measurements on a GC electrode in inert acetonitrile solvent combined with ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) establish a Volmer step, where chloride ion from solution chemisorbs and is oxidized. In reactive ethanol solvent, ethanol adsorbs, and analyzing the current response in an LSV experiment supports a two-electron-transfer to form EtOCl, with chemisorption of the regenerated chloride. Koutecký–Levich (K–L) analysis on a rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) shows that the kinetic rate constant of the COR in ethanol is on the order of 10 −8 cm s −1 , which is five orders of magnitude faster than the direct alcohol oxidation reaction in a kinetically limited regime. This hydrodynamic approach in understanding the electrochemistry of this non-aqueous system extends the possibilities for mediated electrocatalysis in neat alcohol solvents.

Van Daele, Ryan D. [University of Michigan, Ann Ar↗
DOE OSTI2023

Hydroxycinnamaldehyde-derived benzofuran components in lignins

Abstract Lignin is an abundant polymer in plant secondary cell walls. Prototypical lignins derive from the polymerization of monolignols (hydroxycinnamyl alcohols), mainly coniferyl and sinapyl alcohol, via combinatorial radical coupling reactions and primarily via the endwise coupling of a monomer with the phenolic end of the growing polymer. Hydroxycinnamaldehyde units have long been recognized as minor components of lignins. In plants deficient in cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, the last enzyme in the monolignol biosynthesis pathway that reduces hydroxycinnamaldehydes to monolignols, chain-incorporated aldehyde unit levels are elevated. The nature and relative levels of aldehyde components in lignins can be determined from their distinct and dispersed correlations in 2D 1H–13C-correlated nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. We recently became aware of aldehyde NMR peaks, well resolved from others, that had been overlooked. NMR of isolated low-molecular-weight oligomers from biomimetic radical coupling reactions involving coniferaldehyde revealed that the correlation peaks belonged to hydroxycinnamaldehyde-derived benzofuran moieties. Coniferaldehyde 8-5-coupling initially produces the expected phenylcoumaran structures, but the derived phenolic radicals undergo preferential disproportionation rather than radical coupling to extend the growing polymer. As a result, the hydroxycinnamaldehyde-derived phenylcoumaran units are difficult to detect in lignins, but the benzofurans are now readily observed by their distinct and dispersed correlations in the aldehyde region of NMR spectra from any lignin or monolignol dehydrogenation polymer. Hydroxycinnamaldehydes that are coupled to coniferaldehyde can be distinguished from those coupled with a generic guaiacyl end-unit. These benzofuran peaks may now be annotated and reported and their structural ramifications further studied.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Rerouting of the lignin biosynthetic pathway by inhibition of cytosolic shikimate recycling in transgenic hybrid aspen

Lignin is a phenolic polymer deposited in the plant cell wall and is mainly polymerized from three canonical monomers (monolignols), i.e., p-coumaryl, coniferyl, and sinapyl alcohols. After polymerization, these alcohols form different lignin substructures. In dicotyledons, monolignols are biosynthesized from phenylalanine, an aromatic amino acid. Shikimate acts at two positions in the route to the lignin building blocks. It is part of the shikimate pathway which provides the precursor for the biosynthesis of phenylalanine, and is involved in the transesterification of pcoumaroyl- CoA to p-coumaroyl shikimate, one of key steps in the biosynthesis of coniferyl and sinapyl alcohols. The shikimate residue in p-coumaroyl shikimate is released in later steps, and the resulting shikimate becomes available again for the biosynthesis of new p-coumaroyl shikimate molecules. In this study, we inhibited cytosolic shikimate recycling in transgenic hybrid aspen by accelerated phosphorylation of shikimate in the cytosol through expression of a bacterial shikimate kinase. Here, this expression elicited an increase in p-hydroxyphenyl units of lignin and, by contrast, a decrease in guaiacyl and syringyl units. Transgenic plants with high shikimate kinase activity produced a lignin content comparable to that in wild-type plants and had an increased processability via enzymatic saccharification. Although expression of many genes was altered in the transgenic plants, elevated shikimate kinase activity did not exert a significant effect on the expression of the majority of genes responsible for lignin biosynthesis. The present results indicate that cytosolic shikimate recycling is crucial to the monomeric composition of lignin rather than for lignin content.

shikimate pathway↗
DOE OSTI2021

Photocatalytic C–H activation and the subtle role of chlorine radical complexation in reactivity

A complex role for chlorine radicals Radicals are atoms or molecules that are highly reactive because they have an unpaired electron. A common means of investigating whether they are involved in a particular reaction is to try to trap them with an acceptor compound. Yang et al. reinvestigated a photoinduced alkane oxidation reaction for which a trapping study had previously implicated alkoxy radicals. Their spectroscopic, kinetic, and isotopic labeling studies revealed that chlorine, rather than alkoxy, was the key radical intermediate; the prior trapping results had stemmed from its complexation with alcohols. Science , abd8408, this issue p. 847

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Catabolic pathway acquisition by rhizosphere bacteria readily enables growth with a root exudate component but does not affect root colonization

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a fundamental evolutionary process that plays a key role in bacterial evolution. The likelihood of a successful transfer event is expected to depend on the precise balance of costs and benefits resulting from pathway acquisition. Most experimental analyses of HGT have focused on phenotypes that have large fitness benefits under appropriate selective conditions, such as antibiotic resistance. However, many examples of HGT involve phenotypes that are predicted to provide smaller benefits, such as the ability to catabolize additional carbon sources. We have experimentally simulated the consequences of one such HGT event in the laboratory, studying the effects of transferring a pathway for catabolism of the plant-derived aromatic compound salicyl alcohol between rhizosphere isolates from the Pseudomonas genus. We find that pathway acquisition enables rapid catabolism of salicyl alcohol with only minor disruptions to the existing metabolic and regulatory networks of the new host. However, this new catabolic potential does not confer a measurable fitness advantage during competitive growth in the rhizosphere. We conclude that the phenotype of salicyl alcohol catabolism is readily transferable but is selectively neutral under environmentally relevant conditions. We propose that this condition is common and that HGT of many pathways will be self-limiting because the selective benefits are small.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗