A Critical Analysis of Bio-Hydrocarbon Production in Bacteria: Current Challenges and Future Directions

Ziaur Rahman, Javed Nawab, Bong Hyun Sung and Sun Chang Kim
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Ziaur Rahman: Department of Microbiology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan
Javed Nawab: Department of Environmental Sciences, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Pakistan
Bong Hyun Sung: Cell Factory Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Korea
Sun Chang Kim: Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, Korea

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 10, 1-14

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 (C 2 to C 18 ) 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.

Keywords: microbial biofuel; metabolic engineering; alkanes; alcohols (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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