TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - BIOTECHNOLOGY - Preferred Method: In making a biofuel, the oils are secreted by the microbe. The media comprises 0.5-2.0 M salt, where the salt is sodium chloride (NaCl) and/or potassium chloride (KCl). The media comprises 0.1% nitrogen. It also comprises cellulose, a cellulosic substrate, cellobiose, carboxymethylcellulose, hemicellulose, a sweet sorghum extract, a sugar cane extract, a sugar cane baggasse, or its cellulosic substrates. The neutral lipid is a TAG comprising saturated esterified fatty acids; a TAG comprising unsaturated esterified fatty acids; a TAG comprising oleic acid; or a TAG comprising oleic acid at the Sn-1, Sn-2, or Sn-3 position. The hydrocarbons comprise C16, C18, C20, C22, C24, C26, C28, C30, and/or C40 and the hydrocarbons are further processed into a lubricant, biodiesel, gasoline, jet fuel, or a liquid transportation fuel. The hydrocarbons also contain C15, C17, C19, C21, C23, C25, C27, C29, and/or C31. The mixture of hydrocarbons is optimized for a specific application, selected from a precursor for liquid transportation fuel biosynthesis, a precursor for lubricant biosynthesis, or its derivatives. In the method, the microbes are grown for 48-120 hours at a temperature of 25-37 degrees C and at a pH of 5.0-7.5. The microbes secrete the triacylglycerol, neutral lipids, fatty acids, long-chain fatty acids, or hydrocarbons without cell death. The microbes are induced to overexpress one or more autophagy-associated genes, preferably Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes selected from ATG1, ATG2, ATG3, ATG4, ATG5, ATG6, ATG7, ATG8, ATG9, ATG10, ATG11, ATG12, ATG13, ATG14, ATG15, ATG16, ATG17, ATG18, ATG19, ATG20, ATG21, ATG22, ATG23, ATG24, ATG25, ATG26, ATG27, ATG28, ATG29, ATG30, or ATG31. The microbes are genetically modified to overexpress one or more autophagy-associated genes that is orthologous or paralogous to a gene selected from ATG1, ATG2, ATG3, ATG4, ATG5, ATG6, ATG7, ATG8, ATG9, ATG10, ATG11, ATG12, ATG13, ATG14, ATG15, ATG16, ATG17, ATG18, ATG19, ATG20, ATG21, ATG22, ATG23, ATG24, ATG25, ATG26, ATG27, ATG28, ATG29, ATG30, or ATG31. The microbes are genetically modified to overexpress one or more autophagy-associated genes integrated into the genome or on an autonomously replicating plasmid. Preferably, the microbes are selected from Debaryomyces sp., Saccharomyces sp., Rhodococcus sp., Nocardia sp., Mycobacterium sp., Rhodosporidium sp., Cryptococcus sp., Rhodotorula sp., Yarrowia lipolytica, and/or Lipomyces sp., in a single reaction vessel. The microbes are disrupted with an agent that increases PI-3 kinase activity. It is disrupted by mechanical or chemical treatment to release intracellular oils. Preferably, the microbes have been genetically modified to overexpress PI-3 kinase. The microbes have been genetically modified to comprise a PI-3 kinase overexpression cassette into the cell, where the PI3-kinase overexpression cassette is integrated into the genome or the PI-3 kinase is in an overexpression cassette on an autonomously replicating plasmid. The microbes are also genetically modified to vary the expression of one or more autophagy-associated genes by integrating the genes into the genome, by expression of the genes on an autonomously replicating plasmid, or by modifying the expression of the genes post-translationally. The microbes are engineered to under-express the autophagy-associated genes to decrease oil secretion. Alternatively, the microbes are engineered to over-express the autophagy-associated genes to increase oil secretion. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.