Adam Guss is a Genetic and Metabolic Engineer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign in the Department of Microbiology in 2006 studying the electron transport pathways used by members of the Archaea to produce methane. His current research utilizes genetics and synthetic biology to engineer microbes to convert lignocellulosic plant biomass into liquid fuels and other value-added products, with a particular emphasis on cellulose-degrading bacteria such as Clostridium thermocellum and aromatic-catabolizing organisms such as Pseudomonas putida. Within the Agile BioFoundry, he co-leads the Host Onboarding and Development sub-task and the Ethanol sub-task.
Projects in the Agile BioFoundry
- Host onboarding and development
- Ethanol
Featured Publications
Elmore J, Furches A, Wolff G, Gorday K, and Guss AM*. Development of a high efficiency integration system and promoter library for rapid modification of Pseudomonas putida KT2440. Metabolic Engineering Communications 5 (2017) 1–8. DOI: j.meteno.2017.04.001
Clarkson S, Elkins J, Guss AM*, and Michener J* – Construction and optimization of a heterologous pathway for protocatechuate catabolism in Escherichia coli enables bioconversion of model aromatic compounds. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. (2017) vol. 83 no. 18 e01313-17. DOI:10.1128/AEM.01313-17
Rydzak T, Garcia D, Stevenson DM, Sladek M, Klingeman DM, Holwerda EK, Amador-Noguez D, Brown SD, and Guss AM*. Deletion of Type I glutamine synthetase deregulates nitrogen metabolism and increases ethanol production in Clostridium thermocellum. Metabolic Engineering. (2017) 41:182–191. DOI: j.ymben.2017.04.002
Tian L, Papanek B, Olson DG, Rydzak T, Holwerda EK, Zheng T, Zhou J, Maloney M, Jiang N, Giannone RJ, Hettich RL, Guss AM, Lynd LR*. (2016) Simultaneous achievement of high ethanol yield and titer in Clostridium thermocellum. Biotechnology for Biofuels. 2016, 9:116. DOI: 10.1186/s13068-016-0528-8.
Papanek B, Biswas R, Rydzak T; Guss AM*. (2015) Elimination of metabolic pathways to all traditional fermentation products increases ethanol yields in Clostridium thermocellum. Metab Eng. 2015 Nov;32:49-54. doi: 10.1016/j.ymben.2015.09.002.
Biswas R, Zheng T, Olson DG, Lynd LR, Guss AM*. (2015) Elimination of hydrogenase active site assembly blocks H2 production and increases ethanol yield in Clostridium thermocellum. Biotechnol Biofuels. 8:20