Methods and Compositions for the Recombinant Biosynthesis of Fatty Acids and Esters

Abstract

The present disclosure identifies methods and compositions for modifying photoautotrophic organisms, such that the organisms efficiently convert carbon dioxide and light into compounds such as esters and fatty acids. In certain embodiments, the compounds produced are secreted into the medium used to culture the organisms.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fuel composition comprising a mixture of one or more fatty acid esters, wherein at least one of the fatty acid esters in the mixture is tetradecanoic acid ester, Δ9-hexadecenoic acid ester, hexadecanoic acid ester, heptadecanoic acid ester, Δ9-octadecenoic acid ester, or octadecanoic acid ester, and wherein at least a portion of the carbon used as raw material of the one or more fatty acid esters in the mixture is inorganic carbon. 
     
     
         2 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the fatty acid esters in the mixture are hexadecanoic acid ester and octadecanoic acid ester. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel composition of  claim 3 , wherein the amount of hexadecanoic acid ester in the mixture is between 1.5 and 10 fold greater than the amount of octadecanoic acid ester in the mixture. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the fatty acid esters in the mixture is hexadecanoic acid ester. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel composition of  claim 4 , wherein at least 50% of the fatty acid ester in the mixture is hexadecanoic acid ester. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel composition is a low-sulfur fuel composition. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel composition is a carbon-neutral fuel composition. 
     
     
         8 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel composition has a higher δ p  than a comparable fuel composition made from fixed atmospheric carbon or plant-derived biomass. 
     
     
         9 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein the inorganic carbon is carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         10 . A fuel composition comprising a mixture of one or more fatty acid esters, wherein at least one of the fatty acid esters in the mixture is tetradecanoic acid ester, Δ9-hexadecenoic acid ester, hexadecanoic acid ester, heptadecanoic acid ester, Δ9-octadecenoic acid ester, or octadecanoic acid ester, and wherein at least a portion of the carbon in the one or more fatty acid esters in the mixture is inorganic carbon. 
     
     
         11 . The fuel composition of  claim 10 , wherein at least two of the fatty acid esters in the mixture are hexadecanoic acid ester and octadecanoic acid ester. 
     
     
         12 . The fuel composition of  claim 11 , wherein the amount of hexadecanoic acid ester in the mixture is between 1.5 and 10 fold greater than the amount of octadecanoic acid ester in the mixture. 
     
     
         13 . The fuel composition of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the fatty acid esters in the mixture is hexadecanoic acid ester. 
     
     
         14 . The fuel composition of  claim 13 , wherein at least 50% of the fatty acid ester in the mixture is hexadecanoic acid ester. 
     
     
         15 . The fuel composition of  claim 10 , wherein the fuel composition is a low-sulfur fuel composition. 
     
     
         16 . The fuel composition of  claim 10 , wherein the fuel composition is a carbon-neutral fuel composition. 
     
     
         17 . The fuel composition of  claim 10 , wherein the fuel composition has a higher δ p  than a comparable fuel composition made from fixed atmospheric carbon or plant-derived biomass. 
     
     
         18 . The fuel composition of  claim 10 , wherein the inorganic carbon is derived from carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         19 . A fuel composition comprising a mixture of one or more fatty acid esters, wherein at least one of the fatty acid esters in the mixture is tetradecanoic acid ester, Δ9-hexadecenoic acid ester, hexadecanoic acid ester, heptadecanoic acid ester, Δ9-octadecenoic acid ester, or octadecanoic acid ester, and wherein the fuel composition has a higher δ p  than a comparable fuel composition made from fixed atmospheric carbon or plant-derived biomass. 
     
     
         20 . The fuel composition of  claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of the carbon used as raw material of the one or more fatty acid esters in the mixture is inorganic carbon or wherein at least a portion of the carbon in the one or more fatty acid esters in the mixture is inorganic carbon.