Metabolic Engineering of Hydrocarbon Biosynthesis for Biofuel Production

The world’s supply of petroleum hydrocarbons, which serve as feedstock for the fuel and chemical industries, is rapidly diminishing to satisfy the global demand for energy and consumer goods. In response to this increasing demand and limited supply, the cost of crude oil has risen to over $100 per barrel in 2012, a 10-fold increase compared to prices in the late 1990s [1]. As fossil fuels are nonrenewable resources, the price of oil is only expected to increase in the future. This unavoidable reality necessitates the development of renewable energy sources in order to maintain the current standard of living. Among the alternative energy options under development, biofuels are anticipated to supplement and eventually replace the petroleum-based fuels that supply the transportation and chemical industries. Currently, first generation biofuels like corn-based ethanol are blended into conventional petroleum fuels, with biofuels supplying 2.7% of the world’s transportation fuel in 2010 [2]. It appears that biofuels are on their way to becoming a viable renewable energy source, yet technological and biological advancements are necessary for sustainable and economical biofuel production at the scales necessary to support the world’s energy needs.