Microalgae are rapidly growing, low-input requiring, sun light-utilizing microorganisms capable of converting carbon dioxide into various natural products, a major portion of which are hydrocarbons. Their cellular compartmentalization and photosynthetic apparatus depend on robust turnover of two hydrocarbon classes, isoprenoids and acyl-lipids. This review summarizes the current understanding of algal hydrocarbon metabolism, including carbon partitioning capacities, the localization and size of precursor pools, environmental effects on flux distribution, and limiting factors towards efficient (heterologous) hydrocarbon production. Questions and challenges regarding our knowledge of algal hydrocarbon metabolism as well as guidelines for systematic engineering are presented. Recent engineering achievements indicate fundamental plasticity in the (heterologous) hydrocarbon metabolism of green algae while highlighting their potential as renewable sources of these products.

中文翻译：

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绿藻碳氢化合物的代谢是可持续化学品的特殊来源。

微藻是迅速生长的，低投入的，需要利用阳光的微生物，能够将二氧化碳转化为各种天然产物，其中大部分是碳氢化合物。它们的细胞区室化和光合装置取决于两种类烃（类异戊二烯和酰基脂质）的稳健周转。这篇综述总结了目前对藻类碳氢化合物代谢的理解，包括碳的分配能力，前体池的位置和大小，对通量分布的环境影响以及有效（异源）碳氢化合物生产的限制因素。提出了有关我们对藻类碳氢化合物代谢知识以及系统工程指导的问题和挑战。