Australian Group Modifies Yeast to Produce Lemon Chemical for Jet Fuel

In Australia, a research group at the University of Queensland is genetically modifying baker's yeast to produce the chemical found in lemons and other citrus fruits, which can be used as a jet fuel component.

The Systems and Synthetic Biology Group at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology is modifying baker's yeast to produce a synthetic form of limonene, a volatile chemical that gives citrus fruits their characteristic smell. Limonene was first identified in turpentine oil in the late 1800s and is now used as a flavor and fragrance in foods, household cleaning products and perfumes.

Previous demonstrations have shown the usefulness of limonene extracted from citrus peel as a jet fuel component. The process of extracting it on a large scale is highly impractical and not commercially viable. The Australian group is pioneering the use of yeast cells as limonene biofactories by transferring into them the genes responsible for limonene production.

Efforts to obtain jet fuel from limonene is the latest in a series which has seen cutting-edge science used to transform the often ancient practices of agriculture to multi-faceted and profitable methods for tomorrow. These kinds of projects will allow farming and resources to move into a new age, as non-renewable energy sources diminish.