Enzymes for fatty acid-based hydrocarbon biosynthesis

• Biological hydrocarbons serve as excellent replacements for fossil fuels.
• Several enzymes capable of producing hydrocarbons have recently been discovered.
• Significant progress has been made to better understand these enzymes.
• Much is still unknown about these promising enzymes and their industrial potential.

Surging energy consumption and environmental concerns have stimulated interest in the production of chemicals and fuels through sustainable and renewable approaches. Fatty acid-based hydrocarbons, such as alkanes and alkenes, are of particular interest to directly replace fossil fuels. Towards this effort, understanding of hydrocarbon-producing enzymes is the first indispensable step to bio-production of hydrocarbons. Here, we review recent advances in the discovery and mechanistic study of enzymes capable of converting fatty acid precursors into hydrocarbons, and provide perspectives on the future of this rapidly growing field.