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Title: Genetic engineering of cyanobacteria as biodiesel feedstock.

Abstract

Algal biofuels are a renewable energy source with the potential to replace conventional petroleum-based fuels, while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The economic feasibility of commercial algal fuel production, however, is limited by low productivity of the natural algal strains. The project described in this SAND report addresses this low algal productivity by genetically engineering cyanobacteria (i.e. blue-green algae) to produce free fatty acids as fuel precursors. The engineered strains were characterized using Sandias unique imaging capabilities along with cutting-edge RNA-seq technology. These tools are applied to identify additional genetic targets for improving fuel production in cyanobacteria. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates successful fuel production from engineered cyanobacteria, identifies potential limitations, and investigates several strategies to overcome these limitations. This project was funded from FY10-FY13 through the President Harry S. Truman Fellowship in National Security Science and Engineering, a program sponsored by the LDRD office at Sandia National Laboratories.

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1088046
Report Number(s):
SAND2013-0627
452485
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Ruffing, Anne., Trahan, Christine Alexandra, and Jones, Howland D. T. Genetic engineering of cyanobacteria as biodiesel feedstock.. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.2172/1088046.
Ruffing, Anne., Trahan, Christine Alexandra, & Jones, Howland D. T. Genetic engineering of cyanobacteria as biodiesel feedstock.. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1088046
Ruffing, Anne., Trahan, Christine Alexandra, and Jones, Howland D. T. 2013. "Genetic engineering of cyanobacteria as biodiesel feedstock.". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1088046. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1088046.
@article{osti_1088046,
title = {Genetic engineering of cyanobacteria as biodiesel feedstock.},
author = {Ruffing, Anne. and Trahan, Christine Alexandra and Jones, Howland D. T.},
abstractNote = {Algal biofuels are a renewable energy source with the potential to replace conventional petroleum-based fuels, while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The economic feasibility of commercial algal fuel production, however, is limited by low productivity of the natural algal strains. The project described in this SAND report addresses this low algal productivity by genetically engineering cyanobacteria (i.e. blue-green algae) to produce free fatty acids as fuel precursors. The engineered strains were characterized using Sandias unique imaging capabilities along with cutting-edge RNA-seq technology. These tools are applied to identify additional genetic targets for improving fuel production in cyanobacteria. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates successful fuel production from engineered cyanobacteria, identifies potential limitations, and investigates several strategies to overcome these limitations. This project was funded from FY10-FY13 through the President Harry S. Truman Fellowship in National Security Science and Engineering, a program sponsored by the LDRD office at Sandia National Laboratories.},
doi = {10.2172/1088046},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1088046}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2013},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2013}
}