Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have used genetically modified bacteria to create a new biofuel for rockets that outperforms gasoline, kerosene, and rocket fuel. The researchers focused on creating new compounds with better chemical properties, rather than replicating existing fuels. They honed in on cyclopropane molecules, which have carbon rings made up of three atoms. The team discovered a gene cluster that allowed them to produce polycyclopropanated fatty acid methyl esters (POP-FAMEs), which can be used to create a fuel called Fuelimycin with an energy density of over 50 megajoules per liter. This is significantly higher than the energy density of gasoline, kerosene, and rocket fuel, which all have an energy density of around 35 megajoules per liter.
The researchers combined different bacterial properties to create the desired molecule, using enzymes from related bacteria to produce a slightly altered structure that could be used as fuel. They then adapted the gene cluster to the Streptomyces albireticuli bacterium, which increased the production of POP-FAMEs by a factor of 22. The team hopes to further increase the efficiency of the bacteria’s production and optimize the POP-FAMEs by using additional enzymes. They also plan to adjust the chain length of the molecules to suit specific applications, such as longer chains for rocket fuel and shorter chains for airplane fuel.
The researchers believe that their method could be used to produce large quantities of biofuel from plant waste using bacteria. However, they still need to increase the production efficiency of the bacteria before they can test the fuel in a real rocket engine. Despite this, the discovery of a new biofuel with superior properties to traditional fuels is a significant step forward in the search for sustainable energy sources.
