Jay Keasling

Professor, Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering Director, Physical Biosciences Division, LBL and Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center CEO, Joint BioEnergy Institute Core Member, UCB/UCSF Graduate Group in Bioengineering 5885 Hollis Street mailcode: MC 3224 (510) 642-4862 fax: (510) 495-2630 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it http://keaslinglab.lbl.gov Membership effective July 1999

Research Interests

Metabolic engineering, environmental biotechnology, and biochemical engineering.

Research Summary

Metabolic engineering, environmental biotechnology, and biochemical engineering.

The research in the Keasling Laboratory focuses on the metabolic engineering of microorganisms for degradation of environmental contaminants or for environmentally friendly synthesis. To that end, we have developed a number of new genetic and mathematical tools to allow more precise and reproducible control of metabolism. These tools are being used in such applications as synthesis of biodegradable polymers, accumulation of phosphate and heavy metals, degradation of chlorinated and aromatic hydrocarbons, biodesulfurization of fossil fuels, and complete mineralization of organophosphate nerve agents and pesticides.

Selected Publications

M. M. Maharbiz, W. J. Holtz, J. D. Keasling, R. T. Howe. 2003. “Electrochemical oxygen generation.” J. MEMS. 12:590-599.

D. J. Scott, B. M.T. da Costa, S. C. Espy, J. D. Keasling, and Katrina Cornish. 2003. “Activation and inhibition of rubber transferases by metal cofactors and pyrophosphate substrates.” Phytochemistry 64:123-134.

I. Chang, E. Gilbert, N. Eliashberg, and J. D. Keasling. 2003. “A three-dimensional, stochastic simulation of biofilm growth and transport-related factors that affect structure.” Microbiology 149:2859-2871.

V. J. J. Martin, D. J. Pitera, S. T. Withers, J. D. Newman, and J. D. Keasling. 2003. “Engineering the mevalonate pathway in Escherichia coli for production of terpenoids.” Nat. Biotechnol. 21:796-802.

R. Knopp, P. J. Panak, L. A. Wray, N. S. Renninger, J. D. Keasling, and H. Nitsche. 2003. “Laser spectroscopic studies of U(VI) with bacterial phosphate species.” Chem. Eur. J. 9:2812-2818.

N. L. Goeden-Wood, J. D. Keasling, and S. J. Muller. 2003. “Self-assembly of a designed protein polymer into b-sheet fibrils and responsive gels.” Macromolecules 36:2932-2938.

E. S. Gilbert, A. W. Walker and J. D. Keasling. 2003. “A constructed microbial consortium for biodegradation of the organophosphorus insecticide parathion.” Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 61:77-81.

S. K. Tehara and J. D. Keasling. 2003. “Gene cloning, purification, and characterization of a phosphodiesterase from Delftia acidovorans.” Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 69:504-508.

G.-Y. Wang and J. D. Keasling. 2002. “Amplification of HMG-CoA reductase production enhances carotenoid accumulation in Neurospora crassa.” Met. Eng. 4:193-201.

C. D. Smolke and J. D. Keasling. 2002. “Effect of gene location, mRNA secondary structures, and RNase sites on expression of two genes in an engineered operon.” Biotechnol. Bioeng. 80:762-776.