Genetically engineered marine algae are as capable of producing biofuels as fresh water algae.

Biologists at UC San Diego were able to produce five separate forms of industrially important enzymes and say the same process could be used to enhance the yield of petroleum-like compounds from marine algae.

The genetically modified marine algae could expand the potential use of algae as a biofuel crop as it can be produced in the ocean, in tidelands and on agricultural land with high salt content in the soil.