Methods and compositions for producing hydrocarbons
Compositions and methods for producing aldehydes, alkanes, and alkenes are described herein. The aldehydes, alkanes, and alkenes can be used in biofuels.
1. A method of producing a hydrocarbon, the method comprising producing in a host cell a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of:
(i) SEQ ID NO: 37 or SEQ ID NO:38 or SEQ ID NO:39; or
(ii) SEQ ID NO:40 and any one of (a) SEQ ID NO:37, (b) SEQ ID NO:38, and (c) SEQ ID NO:39; or
(iii) SEQ ID NO:41 or SEQ ID NO:42 or SEQ ID NO:43 or SEQ ID NO:44,
wherein the polypeptide has decarboxylase activity.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polypeptide is from a cyanobacterium.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the host cell is selected from the group consisting of a mammalian cell, plant cell, insect cell, yeast cell, fungus cell, filamentous fungi cell, and bacterial cell.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the host cell is an E. coli cell.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is secreted by the host cell.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon comprises a C 13 -C 21 alkane.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of tridecane, methyltridecane, nonadecane, methylnonadecane, heptadecane, methyl heptadecane, pentadecane, and methylpentadecane.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising culturing the host cell in the presence of at least one biological substrate for the polypeptide.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the substrate is a fatty acid derivative.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the fatty acid derivative is a saturated fatty acid derivative.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the saturated fatty acid derivative is selected from the group consisting of 2-methylicosanal, icosanal, octadecanal, tetradecanal, methyloctadecanal, stearaldehyde, palmitaldehyde, and their derivatives.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon comprises a C 13 -C 21 alkene.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of pentadecene, heptadecene, methylpentadecene, and methylheptadecene.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising culturing the host cell in the presence of an unsaturated fatty acid derivative.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the unsaturated fatty acid derivative is selected from the group consisting of octadecenal, hexadecenal, methylhexadecenal, and methyloctadecenal.