Bacteria: Refining the Fuels of Tomorrow
Dave Greenfield | Date: 03-12-10 | Comments: 3
- Bacteria could be the next alternative fuel to relieve oil of its tremendous burden.
Dependence on pricy oil has led to a crusade to find the
“fuel of tomorrow.” Likely, it will take several fuel sources to replace oil:
wind, solar, hydro and bio fuels have been in use, even if not widespread use,
for years. Far more new is the idea that bacteria could be the next alternative
fuel to relieve oil of its tremendous burden.
It is hoped that bacteria could be used to produce fuels
that behave like those derived from petroleum. San Carlos, Calif.-based LS9 is
working on this “renewable petroleum,” which can be engineered from E. coli and
other bacteria.
This is not the first time that scientists have tried to
harness the power of bacteria. In 2008, a fuel cell was developed that could
generate electricity, and at least one other company is known to be working on
the same idea. LS9, however, is hoping that bacteria fuel can be used as a
widespread, viable alternative to fossil fuels, and it’s hoping to be the one that
delivers.
LS9 uses tools that are already in use in synthetic biology
to change the genetic pathways that bacteria, animals and plants use to produce
fatty acids. Fatty acids are very similar molecularly to diesel fuel. LS9 has
been able to modify this process so bacteria generate diesel-producing strains.
Says Steve del Cardayre, vice president of research and development
for LS9, “We divert those fatty acid pathways. It’s like a detour.” By taking
the carboxylic acid group (made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen) away from the
fatty acids, researchers produce a hydrocarbon. It is the hydrocarbons that can
be processed into fuel.
Del Cardayre says that bacteria fuel is not an “alternative”
to petroleum. “We’re dependent on petroleum, so we don’t need some alternative
to petroleum,” he asserts. “We need a way to make petroleum itself. Biology can
do it. Over the course of billions of years, cells have figured out that
hydrocarbons are a good way to store energy.”
