Researchers Find Key Protein in Algae Oil Production

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers may have found a key to converting algae to fuel. The scientists have found a transcription factor, called ROC40, which controls the expression of genes in algae cells.

Lipids from microalgae provide an excellent renewable source for biofuels as algae grow quickly, tolerate extreme weather conditions and do not pose the same issues as biofuel crops.

To produce lipids from algae, scientists starve the algae of nitrogen. However, lack of nitrogen also slows their growth rate. To become a commercially viable fuel source, scientists must ensure that algae produce as much oil as possible, but also grows as fast as possible.

Scientists determined algae proteins that are modulated by nitrogen starvation. ROC40 was found to be the most induced when algae made the most oil. Further analysis showed that ROC40 helps control lipid production when the algal cells were starved of nitrogen.

This information is valuable for engineering algae to overproduce oil without starving it of nitrogen.