Single Cell Lipid Turnover Analysis in Advanced Biofuel Synthesis (SCLTA)
EMSL Project ID
49084
Abstract
Sustainable supersonic jets and race cars have become a reality due to the microbial production of advanced biofuels and their ‘drop in’ compatibility with the existing transportation infrastructure. However, economically viable production of advanced biofuels is not yet attainable, contrary to the dominant feedstock derived bioethanol supplements. In addressing these shortcomings, oleaginous microorganisms and their genetic engineering are generating considerable excitement. These act as micro-factories that de novo synthesize oils in the form of lipid droplets, which in turn can be readily processed into a variety of products, including biofuels. Despite substantial progress in metabolic engineering however, key aspects of lipid biology remain poorly understood, such as the formation and growth mechanisms of lipid droplets. Clearly, insight into this uncharted territory is urgently needed if advanced biofuels are to become an everyday reality. To this end, we propose to directly image the spatiotemporal organization of lipid formation in such oleaginous microorganisms. Our strategy is based on Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (nano-SIMS) microscopy of Yarrowia lipolytica yeast cells grown in media with stable isotopic labelled nutrients. Our preliminary investigations indicate unprecedented chemical specificity identifying organelles involved in neutral lipid expression with atomic resolution at the single-cell level.
Project Details
Project type
Exploratory Research
Start Date
2015-12-04
End Date
2016-09-30
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Co-Investigator(s)