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Scientists Insert "Burning Bush" Genes Into Oil Crops To Produce Acetyl Oil For Biofuel
According to the US Department of Energy's website, scientists have inserted genes from the burning bush plant (Euonymus alatus) into cover crops such as camelina and pennycress to produce a compound known as acetyl-triacylglycerol (acetyl-TAG), a type of oil suited to biofuel production.
Oil from the burning bush plant flows easily and remains liquid at relatively low temperatures, making it well suited for use as a biofuel.
A research team at Kansas State University used synthetic biology techniques to boost the acetyl-TAG oil content in pennycress and camelina to near-pure levels, according to a Department of Energy report published on 28 April.
The university's report explained that this achievement could turn camelina and pennycress into potential sources for producing improved diesel fuel.
Vegetable oils typically consist of molecules known as triacylglycerols, made up of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule. The acetyl-TAG found in the burning bush plant, however, consists of two fatty acids and a short acetate group, which lowers the oil's viscosity and reduces its freezing point, making it useful for a range of applications, including as an improved alternative to conventional diesel fuel.
In the study, researchers genetically modified camelina and pennycress to produce acetyl-TAG in their seeds by inserting a gene from the burning bush plant that encodes an enzyme essential to acetyl-TAG synthesis. This redirected the oil production pathways within the plants. The researchers also made further modifications using genome-editing techniques to disable competing pathways and increase the availability of precursor compounds, raising the acetyl-TAG content to near-pure levels of 98% of total seed lipids, without significantly impairing seed germination.
The researchers noted that the oil's low viscosity and strong cold-temperature performance make it suitable as a direct diesel substitute.
Professor Timothy Durrett, professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics and one of the study's lead researchers, said:
"Currently, when producing biofuel, we convert regular vegetable oil into biofuel through a chemical process. The idea here is that acetyl-TAG oil could be used directly as fuel without needing any additional chemical processing."
The study's findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and the team said their next step would be to study other effects resulting from the genetic modification of camelina and pennycress.
The US Department of Energy report concluded:
"This study highlights how advanced genetic engineering can enhance plant performance to produce high-value oils with tailored properties, opening the door to low-cost biofuel production and high-value industrial applications."