Biodiesel is commonly produced through a series of steps involving the cultivation of a high-oil producing bioenergy crop, extraction of the crop's oil, and application of chemical processing steps. The chemical steps usually entail high energy and processing costs. Recent research could make the biomass to biodiesel conversion route less costly. A collaborative research group of the United States Department of Energy (US-DOE)-Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), recently reported the development of an E. coli bacterium which can convert biomass directly to biodiesel, and other fatty-acid-derived chemicals. Using the tools of synthetic biology, they first diverted fatty acid metabolism toward the production of fuels and other chemicals from glucose. Then they engineered the new E.coli strain to produce hemicellulases (enzymes for the conversion of hemicellulose from plant biomass into simple sugars). A complete production scheme has been reportedly demonstrated, but strategies to achieve "increases in titer, productivity and yield" are needed for industrial transition. Details of the study appears in the journal, Nature (URL above)..