In the realm of environmental science, researchers are always looking for alternative sources of fuel that pose minimal impacts on the planet. Now, a group of researchers from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences might have discovered how to convert algae into fuel, potentially marking a huge step in the field.
The root of the discovery is the "transcription factor" called ROC40, which controls the expression of the numerous genes inside of algae cells. The researchers made the finding after they starved the cells of nitrogen, leading to the drawing of lipids out of the algae.
Afterwards, they noticed that of the hundreds of proteins that were modulated by the starvation process, ROC40 was induced the most when the cells exhibited the highest level of oil production. This not only suggests that the process plays an important biological role, but it also reveals its role in lipid production during periods of nitrogen starvation.
"Our discovery about the ROC40 protein suggests that it may be increasing the expression of genes involved in the synthesis of oil in microalgae," said Bala Rathinasabapathi, lead author of the study. "Such information is of great importance for the development of superior strains of algae for biofuel production."
Rathinasabapathi claims that the research was carried out in response to the importance of discovering renewable fuel sources that can provide an alternative to petroleum-based fuels, giving future generations a green energy source.
"In order to advance the production of algal biofuels into a large-scale, competitive scenario, it is fundamental that the biological processes in these organisms are well understood," he said.
One of the biggest problems of using algae for a fuel source is the slowed growth rate that typically comes with an increase in lipid production. Using the new information from the study, scientists can focus on engineering algae to overproduce oil without starving itself of nitrogen, providing an efficient energy source without damaging the algae cells.
Lipids from microalgae are ideal sources for biofuels due to their renewability, quick growth and ability to tolerate extreme weather conditions, contrary to current biofuel crops that are used for fuel and food.
The findings were published in the Feb. 26 issue of The Planet Journal.
