Exploiting diversity and synthetic biology for the production of algal biofuels

Modern life is intimately linked to the availability of fossil fuels, which continue to meet the world's growing energy needs even though their use drives climate change, exhausts finite reserves and contributes to global political strife. Biofuels made from renewable resources could be a more...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Nature (London) Vol. 488; no. 7411; pp. 329 - 335
Main Authors:	Georgianna, D. Ryan, Mayfield, Stephen P.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	London Nature Publishing Group UK 16.08.2012 Nature Publishing Group
Subjects:	631/1647/1511 631/449/906 704/172 Agricultural land Agricultural production Algae Aquaculture - methods Arable land Availability Biodiesel fuels Biofuels Biofuels - supply & distribution Biology Biomass Biomass energy Bioreactors Biosynthetic Pathways - genetics Biotechnology - methods Capital costs Carbon dioxide Climate change Competition Economics Emissions Fermentation Fuels Genetic Engineering - methods Humanities and Social Sciences Industrial development Industrial production Kelp - isolation & purification Kelp - metabolism Kelp - microbiology Lipids Lipids - analysis Lipids - biosynthesis Lipids - chemistry Mathematical analysis Microalgae - genetics Microalgae - growth & development Microalgae - isolation & purification Microalgae - metabolism Microalgae - microbiology Moisture content multidisciplinary Organisms Phenotype Photosynthesis - physiology Photosynthesis - radiation effects Recycling Renewable resources Reserves review-article Science Science (multidisciplinary) Studies Sugar Synthetic biology Technological change United States United States > US
ISSN:	0028-0836, 1476-4687, 1476-4687
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	Modern life is intimately linked to the availability of fossil fuels, which continue to meet the world's growing energy needs even though their use drives climate change, exhausts finite reserves and contributes to global political strife. Biofuels made from renewable resources could be a more sustainable alternative, particularly if sourced from organisms, such as algae, that can be farmed without using valuable arable land. Strain development and process engineering are needed to make algal biofuels practical and economically viable.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-2 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-1 content type line 14 ObjectType-Article-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0028-0836 1476-4687 1476-4687
DOI:	10.1038/nature11479