ARS | Publication request: Deconstruction of ionic liquid pretreated lignocellulosic biomass using mono-component cellulases and hemicellulases and commercial mixtures

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 5, 2011
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Lignocellulosic biomass is comprised of cellulose and hemicellulose, sources of polysaccharides, and lignin, a macromolecule with extensive aromaticity. Lignocellulose requires pretreatment before biochemical conversion to its monomeric sugars which can provide a renewable carbon based feedstock for fuel and chemical production. Ionic liquid (IL) pretreatment of biomass produces amorphous cellulose and largely intact hemicellulose substrates with resulting enzymatic hydrolysis rates much higher than many pretreatment methods. There is a lack of research reported for optimization of enzyme mixtures for biomass hydrolysis with amorphous substrates and intact hemicellulose. Mono-component cellulase and hemicellulase enzymes from Aspergillus nidulans have been expressed in Pichia pastoris, purified and characterized for activity, substrate specificity, and thermal stability. Enzyme combinations were used in series of hydrolysis experiments to determine key enzyme activities and/or interactions that significantly contribute to the conversion of a variety of lignocellulosic biomass substrates to monomeric sugars. Mixtures of commercial enzymes where formulated with key activities to optimize hydrolysis at low enzyme loadings.