Engineering cyanobacteria for biofuel production

Abstract

Fast depletion of petroleum resources and environmental concerns due to rapidly increasing fossil fuel related CO2 emissions have prompted scientists to find more sustainable and environmental friendly fuel alternatives. Considering this, algal conversion of CO2 to biofuels has received increased attention in recent times. In particular, cyanobacteria have been considered as promising candidates for biofuel production considering their fast growth rate, ability to fix carbon dioxide, and their genetic tractability. In parallel to the advancements in synthetic biology and genetic engineering, several proofs of concept studies have emerged demonstrating the ability of cyanobacteria to produce different kinds of biofuels including alcohols, hydrogen, and fatty acid derived biofuels. However, presently their low titer values impede their commercial success. In this perspective, we review the recent publications on engineering cyanobacteria for biofuel production discuss the challenges and scope of improvements for advancing cyanobacterial fuel production.