With a world dependent on rapidly diminishing fossil fuels, humans are desperately looking for other fuel alternatives. One popular choice is biofuels; fuels ultimately derived from processes involving living organisms. While ethanol is well established as a biofuel, it is unpopular due to its low energy content and high volatility. But researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have successfully modified Escherichia coli to produce long-chain alcohols with up to eight carbon atoms.
Through manipulation of the amino acid metabolic pathways of the bacteria, researchers were able to make keto acid, an amino acid precursor, continue to build on the carbon chains of the alcohol. This was done through the genetic modification and insertion of two genes from foreign organisms; a cheese making bacterium and a yeast species commonly used in baking and brewing processes. Until then, alcohols had not previously been successfully synthesized past five carbon chains.
Apart from having a much higher energy and having a lower volatility as compared to the two carbon long ethanol molecule, the alcohols produced are also less soluble in water, making it easier to produce and less corrosive. Furthermore this process will be much more environmentally friendly, helping to reduce green house emissions over its fossil fuel counterpart. This breakthrough has shown that we are not limited by natural restrictions and opens up the possibility of applying the same technique to a host of other organisms to enable the creation of polymers (such as plastics) and drugs. It’s ironic that such a small, common pathogen can have so many applications and so much potential importance to our lives and it shows us that it’s important we don’t overlook the little things in our quest to reach a sustainable lifestyle.
For further information, read the article "Genetic Modification Turns E. Coli Bacteria Into High Density Biofuel" published in ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 3, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2008/12/081218151652.htm
