Abstract
As global fossil reserves are abruptly diminishing, there is a great need for bioenergy. Renewable and sustainable bioenergy products such as biofuels could fulfill the global energy demand, while minimizing global warming. Next-generation biofuels produced by engineered microorganisms are economical and do not rely on edible resources. The ideal biofuels are alcohols and n-alkanes, as they mimic the molecules in fossil fuels and possess high energy densities. Alcohols and n-alkane hydrocarbons (C2 to C18) have been produced using engineered microorganisms. However, it is difficult to optimize the complex metabolic networks in engineered microorganisms to obtain these valuable bio-hydrocarbons in high yields. Metabolic engineering results in drastic and adverse cellular changes that minimize production yield in microbes. Here, we provide an overview of the progress in next-generation biofuel (alcohols and n-alkanes) production in various engineered microorganisms and discuss the latest tools for strain development that improve biofuel production.
Highlights
The global scarcity and predicted depletion of fossil fuel reserves is a threat to future energy demand [1,2,3]
Bio-hydrocarbons produced in bacteria, such as alcohols (C2 –C18 ) and n-alkanes (C10 –C20 ), are of great importance [7,8,9]
We present anproduced overview this of alcohol n-alkane by engineered present an overview of alcohol and n-alkane biofuels produced by engineered microorganisms
Summary
The global scarcity and predicted depletion of fossil fuel reserves is a threat to future energy demand [1,2,3]. Bio-hydrocarbons produced in bacteria, such as alcohols (C2 –C18 ) and n-alkanes (C10 –C20 ), are of great importance [7,8,9] These bio-hydrocarbons have advantages over fossil fuels, as they possess higher energy densities and emit fewer toxic chemicals into the environment [10,11]. These ready-to-use bio-hydrocarbons do not require the replacement of existing engines and are compatible with current technologies [12]. Bio-hydrocarbons (alcohols and n-alkanes) are produced in engineered bacteria by modifying their central metabolism, including glycolytic, tricarboxylic, and fatty acid pathways (Figure 1).
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