In 1916, biochemist and future first president of Israel Chaim Weizmann was the first to isolate Clostridium acetobutylicum, a Gram-positive, anaerobic bacteria in which acetoacetate decarboxylase is found. Weizmann was able to harness the organism's ability to yield acetone from starch in order to mass-produce explosives during the war.
In 1916, biochemist and future Israeli leader Chaim Weizmann isolated Clostridium acetobutylicum, a Gram-positive, anaerobic bacterium that has acetoacetate decarboxylase. Weizmann was able to utilize the organism's ability to convert starch into acetone for industrial purposes during wartime.