UK Renewable Energy Initiative

Genomics & Plant Genetics

Renewable Fuels from Tobacco
This research is aimed at genetically engineering tobacco plants for the biosynthesis and accumulation of specialized branched-chain hydrocarbons known as triterpenes, targeted compounds with 30 to 34 carbon atoms. These triterpenes are considered the biogeochemical progenitors to the current day shale oil deposits and are readily converted to high-grade combustible fuels with current conventional processing methods. We have already created transgenic plants capable of accumulating 15 carbon terpenes (sesquiterpenes), and demonstrated that these compounds are derived directly from the action of photosynthesis and the direct funneling of photosynthetically fixed CO₂ into the biosynthesis and accumulation of terpenes. These oils can be easily cracked into combustible grade fuels under standard conditions. Overall, 67% of the converted oil has been shown to convert to gasoline grade fuel, 15% to aviation turbine fuel, 15% to diesel fuel and a residual of only 3% in previously reported work.

Contact: Joe Chappell (chappell@uky.edu).