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Metabolic Engineering of Biosynthetic Pathway for Production of Renewable Biofuels

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Abstract

Metabolic engineering is an important area of research that involves editing genetic networks to overproduce a certain substance by the cells. Using a combination of genetic, metabolic, and modeling methods, useful substances have been synthesized in the past at industrial scale and in a cost-effective manner. Currently, metabolic engineering is being used to produce sufficient, economical, and eco-friendly biofuels. In the recent past, a number of efforts have been made towards engineering biosynthetic pathways for large scale and efficient production of biofuels from biomass. Given the adoption of metabolic engineering approaches by the biofuel industry, this paper reviews various approaches towards the production and enhancement of renewable biofuels such as ethanol, butanol, isopropanol, hydrogen, and biodiesel. We have also identified specific areas where more work needs to be done in the future.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to A.K. Singh, Satya Prakash, and Pritee Singh for providing the suggestions, encouragement, and fruitful discussion during preparation of manuscript. The authors appreciate anonymous reviewers of the journal for their valuable comments and suggestions to improve the quality of the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, Invertis University, Bareilly–Lucknow National Highway 24, Bareilly, 243123, India

    Vijai Singh

  2. Department of Physiology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center and School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA

    Indra Mani

  3. National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Canal Ring Road, P.O. Dilkusha, Lucknow, 226002, India

    Dharmendra Kumar Chaudhary

  4. Department of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, , Shiv Nadar University, Tehsil Dadri, District Gautam, Budh Nagar, 203207, India

    Pawan Kumar Dhar

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  1. Vijai Singh
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Singh, V., Mani, I., Chaudhary, D.K. et al. Metabolic Engineering of Biosynthetic Pathway for Production of Renewable Biofuels. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 172, 1158–1171 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-013-0606-3

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