Description
Global energy consumption is expected to maintain its upward trend in the decades to come. Of particular concern is the heavy reliance on fossil fuels for transport. The use of residual lignocellulosic biomass represents a viable alternative for the production of second‐generation biofuels with a reduced environmental impact. The Bio4FUEL project aims to develop a biological platform based on a microorganism that can be used as a "micro‐factory"that transforms lignocellulosic materials into sugars, and subsequently into advanced fuel molecules. Success in this project would open up possibilities for the production of advanced biofuels favoring environmental, social and economic sustainability. In addition, if the chemical composition and properties of the biofuels are similar to components of fossil fuels, they can be integrated into currently available infrastructures in the petroleum industry.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to develop a biological platform based on a microorganism capable of transforming lignocellulosic materials into sugars, and subsequently transforming them into fuel molecules. During the project, a candidate microorganism with high cellulolitic activity was identified and characterized. Tools for the genetic modification of this microorganism were also characterized. A target hydrocarbon molecule and a metabolic pathway for its synthesis were identified and characterized. To attain synthesis of the target molecule, a robotic platform was implemented for directed evolution of enzymatic activities. Identification and synthesis of a target biofuel molecule was not provisioned at the beginning of the project since the project mainly aimed at developing a metabolic route to transform lignocellulosic material into sugars. However, results from the first part of the project led to the attempt to engineer a metabolic pathway for the synthesis of the target biofuel molecule. The tests and simulations performed on the project have allowed to develop a biological platform based on a microorganism capable of converting lignocellulosic material into molecules that can be used as advanced fuels. As main conclusions it can be set that the platform has been achieved and also it has been produced a RPX molecule which was not expected to get along with a patent and the model for industrial scale production. The next step would be the physical optimization of the system to produce biofuel in a feasible way in a pre-industrial scale.
Summary of bilateral results