TMO Renewables licenses ERGO genomics platform to enhance cellulosic ethanol production using microbial genomes

(Chicago, IL and Guildford, UK) TMO Renewables Limited, a leader in the production of ethanol from biomass, has licensed the ERGO™ bioinformatics software developed and maintained by Integrated Genomics. TMO will utilize the ERGO™ genome analysis tools for gene annotation, metabolic reconstruction and enzyme data-mining as well as comparative genomics. 

“We believe we have developed uniquely talented high-temperature process organisms capable of producing bioethanol quickly and efficiently from a wide diversity of sustainable cellulosic feedstocks. We are delighted to be working with Integrated Genomics and this agreement underlines our commitment to maintain and build on our leadership position. The ERGO™ platform will enable us to further understand and exploit our thermophilic strains to their fullest potential to deliver the next generation of green biofuels”, said Dr Steven Martin, Associate R & D Director at TMO.

Optimized for analysis of microorganisms, ERGO™ integrates biological data from genomics, biochemistry, gene expression studies, genetics and literature. Reaching beyond conventional systems for functional analysis by DNA sequence alone, Integrated Genomics' platform combines pattern-based analyses with a repertoire of comparative genomics tools for gene visualization in the contexts of regulation, expression data, phylogeny, chromosomal neighborhoods and gene fusions. ERGO™ contains more than 1180 genomes at various stages of completion, as well as the largest available collection of networked cellular pathways.

About Integrated Genomics
Integrated Genomics (www.integratedgenomics.com) is a provider of bioinformatics products and services for the life sciences industry. The company’s expertise in microbial genomics includes genome sequencing, comparative genomics and custom bioinformatics applications. IG has developed and distributes ERGO™, the most advanced and comprehensive bioinformatics suite for microbial genomics on the market. ERGO™ contains the largest available integration of microbial genome data, including genome-derived metabolic reconstructions representing over 6,000 networked metabolic and non-metabolic pathways.

About TMO Renewables Limited
TMO Renewables Limited is a leader in the development of second generation sustainable biofuels. TMO’s process is capable of utilizing all of the sugars, including complex longer chain forms, derived from biomass and their high temperature process is capable of producing fuel ethanol at high efficiency and high conversion rates. TMO intends to build the UK’s first cellulosic ethanol Process Demonstration Unit during 2007 which will integrate all the necessary steps in a continuous ethanol production process. TMO’s integrated sustainable approach to ethanol production utilizes readily available and low cost biomass feedstocks. Furthermore, the process can be a net energy contributor by applying energy recovery techniques.

Contact:
Vinayak Kapatral, Ph.D.
Vice President, Business Development
Integrated Genomics
312-491-0846 x 326
vinayak@integratedgenomics.com