Biodesulfurization and the upgrading of petroleum distillates.

Biotechnology offers an alternative way to process fossil fuels. There have been several important advances in the elucidation of the mechanisms of biodesulfurization and the development of a biocatalytic desulfurization process. These include a detailed analysis of the rate and extent of desulfurization of real target molecules in a diesel matrix, the directed evolution of rate- and extent-limiting enzymes for better performance and the expression of the genes in alternative hosts. Process innovations include new reactor designs, separations and recovery strategies and the production of value-added byproducts during desulfurization.