Microbial production of a diesel biofuel
Nature Communications
September 28, 2011
A step towards the microbial production of a biofuel which may be used as an alternative to D2 diesel fuel is reported in Nature Communications this week. Advanced biofuels, with properties similar to those of petroleum-based fuels, could be used by current engine designs, and distribution and storage infrastructure with potential benefits to the environment.
Taek Soon Lee and colleagues identify bisabolane as a biosynthetic alternative to D2 diesel and then engineer bacteria and yeast to produce the bisabolane precursor, bisabolene. The final step of the synthesis to produce bisabolane unfortunately requires a conventional hydrogenation and it cannot currently be carried out microbially.
Although the scale-up to commercially viable volumes would require significant further development, this work provides new insights into the identification of new terpene-based advanced biofuels and the development of microbial platforms for biofuel production.
doi: 10.1038/ncomms1494
Research highlights
-
Jan 28
Materials science: Increased nuclear waste storage corrosion at material interfacesNature Materials
-
Jan 2
International evaluation of an AI system for breast cancer screeningNature
-
Dec 24
Planetary science: A new technique results in planet haulNature Astronomy
-
Dec 19
Anthropology: The final stand of Homo erectusNature
-
Dec 17
Energy: Health and financial impacts of time-of-use energy rates raise equity concernsNature Energy
-
Dec 13
Biology: Genetic ‘clock’ predicts lifespan in vertebratesScientific Reports
