TY - JOUR
T1 - Green algal hydrocarbon metabolism is an exceptional source of sustainable chemicals
AU - Wichmann, Julian
AU - Lauersen, Kyle J.
AU - Kruse, Olaf
N1 - Generated from Scopus record by KAUST IRTS on 2019-11-20
PY - 2020/2/1
Y1 - 2020/2/1
N2 - Microalgae are rapidly growing, low-input requiring, sun light-utilizing microorganisms capable of converting carbon dioxide into various natural products, a major portion of which are hydrocarbons. Their cellular compartmentalization and photosynthetic apparatus depend on robust turnover of two hydrocarbon classes, isoprenoids and acyl-lipids. This review summarizes the current understanding of algal hydrocarbon metabolism, including carbon partitioning capacities, the localization and size of precursor pools, environmental effects on flux distribution, and limiting factors towards efficient (heterologous) hydrocarbon production. Questions and challenges regarding our knowledge of algal hydrocarbon metabolism as well as guidelines for systematic engineering are presented. Recent engineering achievements indicate fundamental plasticity in the (heterologous) hydrocarbon metabolism of green algae while highlighting their potential as renewable sources of these products.
AB - Microalgae are rapidly growing, low-input requiring, sun light-utilizing microorganisms capable of converting carbon dioxide into various natural products, a major portion of which are hydrocarbons. Their cellular compartmentalization and photosynthetic apparatus depend on robust turnover of two hydrocarbon classes, isoprenoids and acyl-lipids. This review summarizes the current understanding of algal hydrocarbon metabolism, including carbon partitioning capacities, the localization and size of precursor pools, environmental effects on flux distribution, and limiting factors towards efficient (heterologous) hydrocarbon production. Questions and challenges regarding our knowledge of algal hydrocarbon metabolism as well as guidelines for systematic engineering are presented. Recent engineering achievements indicate fundamental plasticity in the (heterologous) hydrocarbon metabolism of green algae while highlighting their potential as renewable sources of these products.
UR - https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0958166919300941
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85074455166&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.09.019
DO - 10.1016/j.copbio.2019.09.019
M3 - Article
C2 - 31711006
SN - 1879-0429
VL - 61
JO - Current Opinion in Biotechnology
JF - Current Opinion in Biotechnology
ER -
