Scripps Institution of Oceanography makes advances in algae to biofuel research

Algae mainly produce lipid oils when they are deprived of nutrients; however they do not grow well in that condition, according to Scripps officials.

The researchers targeted fat-reducing enzymes inside algae, called diatoms, and metabolically engineered a way to increase lipids without compromising growth, university officials said. Researchers said the genetically altered strains could be produced in other species as well.

"We have shown that engineering this pathway is a unique and practical approach for increasing lipid yields,'' Trentacoste said. 

The research has also led to advances in the speed of algal biofuel crop production, officials said.

The study was reported in this week's online edition of the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.'' Mark Hildebrand, Scripps marine biology professor and study co-author, called the achievement huge.

"Five years ago people said you would never be able to get more lipids without affecting growth negatively,'' Hildebrand said. "This paper shows that there isn't an intrinsic barrier and gives us hope of more new things that we can try -- it opens the door to a lot more work to be done.''

The study's other co-authors include William Gerwick, Roshan Shrestha, Sarah Smith, Corine Gle, and Aaron Hartmann, Scripps officials said.