Optimal Conditions for Alkaline Detoxification of Dilute-Acid Lignocellulose Hydrolysates

Alkaline detoxification strongly improves the fermentability of dilute-acid hydrolysates in the production of bioethanol from lignocellulose with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. New experiments were performed with NH4OH and NaOH to define optimal conditions for detoxification and make a comparison with Ca(OH)2 treatment feasible. As too harsh conditions lead to sugar degradation, the detoxification treatments were evaluated through the balanced ethanol yield, which takes both the ethanol production and the loss of fermentable sugars into account. The optimization treatments were performed as factorial experiments with 3-h duration and varying pH and temperature. Optimal conditions were found roughly in an area around pH 9.0/60 degrees C for NH4OH treatment and in a narrow area stretching from pH 9.0/80 degrees C to pH 12.0/30 degrees C for NaOH treatment. By optimizing treatment with NH4OH, NaOH, and Ca(OH)2, it was possible to find conditions that resulted in a fermentability that was equal or better than that of a reference fermentation of a synthetic sugar solution without inhibitors, regardless of the type of alkali used. The considerable difference in the amount of precipitate generated after treatment with different types of alkali appears critical for industrial implementation.

Oxidation Capacity of Laccases and Peroxidases as Reflected in Experiments With Methoxy-Substituted Benzyl Alcohols

A set of methoxy-substituted benzyl alcohol (MBA) congeners were examined regarding susceptibility to oxidation by Trametes versicolor laccase, T. versicolor lignin peroxidase and horseradish peroxidase: 2,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl alcohol (TMBA), 3,4,5-TMBA, 2,3,4-TMBA, 2,5-dimethoxybenzyl alcohol (DMBA), 3,4-DMBA, and 2,3-DMBA. The corresponding methoxy-substituted benzaldehydes were strongly predominant as products on enzymic oxidation. This together with different reaction rates and redox potentials makes the MBAs suitable as substrates in the characterization of ligninolytic enzymes. For fungal laccase, the reaction rate order was: 2,4,5-TMBA >> 2,5-DMBA > 3,4-DMBA > 3,4,5-TMBA approximately 2,3,4-TMBA approximately 2,3-DMBA. Horseradish peroxidase displayed a similar reactivity order. Oxidation of some of the MBAs with laccase and horseradish peroxidase was only observed when the reactions were carried out at low pH and with relatively high-substrate concentration. 3,4-DMBA (veratryl alcohol) was the best substrate for lignin peroxidase and the reaction rate order was: 3,4-DMBA > 2,4,5-TMBA approximately 3,4,5-TMBA > 2,5-DMBA > 2,3,4-TMBA approximately 2,3-DMBA. The oxidation experiments with different MBAs elucidate the potential of the enzymes as oxidants in various applications.

Heterologous expression of Trametes versicolor laccase in Pichia pastoris and Aspergillus niger

Convenient expression systems for efficient heterologous production of different laccases are needed for their characterization and application. The laccase cDNAs lcc1 and lcc2 from Trametes versicolor were expressed in Pichia pastoris and Aspergillus niger under control of their respective glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase promoters and with the native secretion signal directing catalytically active laccase to the medium. P. pastoris batch cultures in shake-flasks gave higher volumetric activity (1.3 U/L) and a better activity to biomass ratio with glucose than with glycerol or maltose as carbon source. Preliminary experiments with fed-batch cultures of P. pastoris in bioreactors yielded higher activity (2.8 U/L) than the shake-flask experiments, although the levels remained moderate and useful primarily for screening purposes. With A. niger, high levels of laccase (2700 U/L) were produced using a minimal medium containing sucrose and yeast extract. Recombinant laccase from A. niger harboring the lcc2 cDNA was purified to homogeneity and it was found to be a 70-kDa homogeneous enzyme with biochemical and catalytic properties similar to those of native T. versicolor laccase A.

Critical conditions for improved fermentability during overliming of acid hydrolysates from spruce

Bioethanol can be produced from wood via acid hydrolysis, but detoxification is needed to achieve good fermentability. Overliming was investigated in a factorial designed experiment, in which pH and temperature were varied. Degradation of inhibitory furan aldehydes was more extensive compared to monosaccharides. Too harsh conditions led to massive degradation of sugars and formation of inhibiting acids and phenols. The ethanol productivity and yield after optimal overliming reached levels exceeding reference fermentations of pure glucose. A novel metric, the balanced ethanol yield, which takes both ethanol production and losses of fermentable sugars into account, was introduced and showed the optimal conditions within the investigated range. The findings allow process technical and economical considerations to govern the choice of conditions for overliming.

Ammonium Hydroxide Detoxification of Spruce Acid Hydrolysates

When dilute-acid hydrolysates from spruce are fermented to produce ethanol, detoxification is required to make the hydrolysates fermentable at reasonable rates. Treatment with alkali, usually by overliming, is one of the most efficient approaches. Several nutrients, such as ammonium and phosphate, are added to the hydrolysates prior to fermentation. We investigated the use of NH4OH for simultaneous detoxification and addition of nitrogen source. Treatment with NH4OH compared favorably with Ca(OH)2, Mg(OH)2, Ba(OH)2, and NaOH to improve fermentability using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Analysis of monosaccharides, furan aldehydes, phenols, and aliphatic acids was performed after the different treatments. The NH4OH treatments, performed at pH 10.0, resulted in a substantial decrease in the concentrations of furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural. Under the conditions studied, NH4OH treatments gave better results than Ca(OH)2 treatments. The addition of an extra nitrogen source in the form of NH4Cl at pH 5.5 did not result in any improvement in fermentability that was comparable to NH4OH treatments at alkaline conditions. The addition of CaCl2 or NH4Cl at pH 5.5 after treatment with NH4OH or Ca(OH)2 resulted in poorer fermentability, and the negative effects were attributed to salt stress. The results strongly suggest that the highly positive effects of NH4OH treatments are owing to chemical conversions rather than stimulation of the yeast cells by ammonium ions during the fermentation.

Heterologous expression of barley and wheat oxalate oxidase in an E. coli trxB gor double mutant

Oxalate oxidase catalyses the degradation of oxalic acid to carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide and is of commercial importance for clinical analyses of oxalate in biological samples. Novel potential applications for oxalate oxidase include the prevention of the formation of calcium oxalate incrusts in pulp and paper manufacture and rapid determination of oxalic acid in process waters. The potential in using oxalate-degrading enzymes in industrial processes increases the interest in finding systems for heterologous expression. Oxalate oxidase from barley is a secreted multimeric glycosylated manganese-containing enzyme with several disulfide bridges, which have been found to be essential for the catalytic activity. Attempts to achieve expression of active heterologous oxalate oxidase in bacteria have up to now met little success. In this study, one oxalate-oxidase-encoding cDNA from barley and two from wheat were cloned and tested with regard to expression in Escherichia coli. The results suggest that the selection of a novel commercially available E. coli host strain, which has the ability to form disulfide bridges in heterologous proteins expressed in its cytoplasm, was important for successful expression. Although a considerable part of the heterologous protein was produced in an insoluble and inactive form, this strain, E. coli Origami B(DE3), in addition yielded soluble and active barley and wheat oxalate oxidase. One of the wheat cDNAs, Ta(M)OXO1, gave three-fold higher activity than the barley cDNA, Hv(H)OXO1, while the other wheat cDNA, Ta(M)OXO2, gave no detectable activity. This indicates that the choice of cDNA was also critical despite the high identity between the cDNAs and the encoded polypeptides (88-89% on the nucleotide level and 88-92% on the amino-acid level). Gel filtration of cell extracts containing heterologous barley and wheat oxalate oxidase resulted in an increase in the activity. This indicates that low molecular weight inhibitory compounds were present in the E. coli lysates but could be removed by the introduction of a purification step.

Selection of anion exchangers for detoxification of dilute-acid hydrolysates from spruce

Six anion-exchange resins with different properties were compared with respect to detoxification of a dilute-acid hydrolysate of spruce prior to ethanolic fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The six resins encompassed strong and weak functional groups as well as styrene-, phenol-, and acrylic-based matrices. In an analytical experimental series, fractions from columns packed with the different resins were analyzed regarding pH, glucose, furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, phenolic compounds, levulinic acid, acetic acid, formic acid, and sulfate. An initial adsorption of glucose occurred in the strong alkaline environment and led to glucose accumulation at a later stage. Acetic and levulinic acid passed through the column before formic acid, whereas sulfate had the strongest affinity. In a preparative experimental series, one fraction from each of six columns packed with the different resins was collected for assay of the fermentability and analysis of glucose, mannose, and fermentation inhibitors. The fractions collected from strong anion-exchange resins with styrene-based matrices displayed the best fermentability: a sevenfold enhancement of ethanol productivity compared with untreated hydrolysate. Fractions from a strong anion exchanger with acrylic-based matrix and a weak exchanger with phenol-based resin displayed an intermediate improvement in fermentability, a four- to fivefold increase in ethanol productivity. The fractions from two weak exchangers with styrene- and acrylic-based matrices displayed a twofold increase in ethanol productivity. Phenolic compounds were more efficiently removed by resins with styrene- and phenol-based matrices than by resins with acrylic-based matrices.

Rapid and convenient determination of oxalic acid employing a novel oxalate biosensor based on oxalate oxidase and SIRE technology

A new method for rapid determination of oxalic acid was developed using oxalate oxidase and a biosensor based on SIRE (sensors based on injection of the recognition element) technology. The method was selective, simple, fast, and cheap compared with other present detection systems for oxalate. The total analysis time for each assay was 2-9 min. A linear range was observed between 0 and 5 mM when the reaction conditions were 30 degrees C and 60 s. The linear range and upper limit for concentration determination could be increased to 25 mM by shortening the reaction time. The lower limit of detection in standard solutions, 20 microM, could be achieved by means of modification of the reaction conditions, namely increasing the temperature and the reaction time. The biosensor method was compared with a conventional commercially available colorimetric method with respect to the determination of oxalic acid in urine samples. The urine oxalic acid concentrations determined with the biosensor method correlated well (R=0.952) with the colorimetric method.

Limits for alkaline detoxification of dilute-acid lignocellulose hydrolysates

In addition to fermentable sugars, dilute-acid hydrolysates of lignocellulose contain compounds that inhibit fermenting microorganisms, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Previous results show that phenolic compounds and furan aldehydes, and to some extent aliphatic acids, act as inhibitors during fermentation of dilute-acid hydrolysates of spruce. Treatment of lignocellulose hydrolysates with alkali, usually in the form of overliming to pH 10.0, has been frequently employed as a detoxification method to improve fermentability. A spruce dilute-acid hydrolysate was treated with NaOH in a factorial design experiment, in which the pH was varied between 9.0 and 12.0, the temperature between 5 and 80 degrees C, and the time between 1 and 7 h. Already at pH 9.0, >25% of the glucose was lost when the hydrolysate was treated at 80 degrees C for 1 h. Among the monosaccharides, xylose was degraded faster under alkaline conditions than the hexoses (glucose, mannose, and galactose), which, in turn, were degraded faster than arabinose. The results suggest that alkali treatment of hydrolysates can be performed at temperatures below 30 degrees C at any pH between 9.0 and 12.0 without problems with sugar degradation or formation of inhibiting aliphatic acids. Treatment with Ca(OH)2 instead of NaOH resulted in more substantial degradation of sugars. Under the harsher conditions of the factorial design experiment, the concentrations of furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural decreased while the total phenolic content increased. The latter phenomenon was tentatively attributed to fragmentation of soluble aromatic oligomers in the hydrolysate. Separate phenolic compounds were affected in different ways by the alkaline conditions with some compounds showing an increase in concentration while others decreased. In conclusion, the conditions used for detoxification with alkali should be carefully controlled to optimize the positive effects and minimize the degradation of fermentable sugars.

Generation of the improved recombinant xylose-utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae TMB 3400 by random mutagenesis and physiological comparison with Pichia stipitis CBS 6054

The recombinant xylose-utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae TMB 3399 was constructed by chromosomal integration of the genes encoding D-xylose reductase (XR), xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH), and xylulokinase (XK). S. cerevisiae TMB 3399 was subjected to chemical mutagenesis with ethyl methanesulfonate and, after enrichment, 33 mutants were selected for improved growth on D-xylose and carbon dioxide formation in Durham tubes. The best-performing mutant was called S. cerevisiae TMB 3400. The novel, recombinant S. cerevisiae strains were compared with Pichia stipitis CBS 6054 through cultivation under aerobic, oxygen-limited, and anaerobic conditions in a defined mineral medium using only D-xylose as carbon and energy source. The mutation led to a more than five-fold increase in maximum specific growth rate, from 0.0255 h(-1) for S. cerevisiae TMB 3399 to 0.14 h(-1) for S. cerevisiae TMB 3400, whereas P. stipitis grew at a maximum specific growth rate of 0.44 h(-1). All yeast strains formed ethanol only under oxygen-limited and anaerobic conditions. The ethanol yields and maximum specific ethanol productivities during oxygen limitation were 0.21, 0.25, and 0.30 g ethanol g xylose(-1) and 0.001, 0.10, and 0.16 g ethanol g biomass(-1) h(-1) for S. cerevisiae TMB 3399, TMB 3400, and P. stipitis CBS 6054, respectively. The xylitol yield under oxygen-limited and anaerobic conditions was two-fold higher for S. cerevisiae TMB 3399 than for TMB 3400, but the glycerol yield was higher for TMB 3400. The specific activity, in U mg protein(-1), was higher for XDH than for XR in both S. cerevisiae TMB 3399 and TMB 3400, while P. stipitis CBS 6054 showed the opposite relation. S. cerevisiae TMB 3400 displayed higher specific XR, XDH and XK activities than TMB 3399. Hence, we have demonstrated that a combination of metabolic engineering and random mutagenesis was successful to generate a superior, xylose-utilizing S. cerevisiae, and uncovered distinctive physiological properties of the mutant.

Molecular analysis of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant with improved ability to utilize xylose shows enhanced expression of proteins involved in transport, initial xylose metabolism, and the pentose phosphate pathway

Differences between the recombinant xylose-utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain TMB 3399 and the mutant strain TMB 3400, derived from TMB 3399 and displaying improved ability to utilize xylose, were investigated by using genome-wide expression analysis, physiological characterization, and biochemical assays. Samples for analysis were withdrawn from chemostat cultures. The characteristics of S. cerevisiae TMB 3399 and TMB 3400 grown on glucose and on a mixture of glucose and xylose, as well as of S. cerevisiae TMB 3400 grown on only xylose, were investigated. The strains were cultivated under chemostat conditions at a dilution rate of 0.1 h(-1), with feeds consisting of a defined mineral medium supplemented with 10 g of glucose liter(-1), 10 g of glucose plus 10 g of xylose liter(-1) or, for S. cerevisiae TMB 3400, 20 g of xylose liter(-1). S. cerevisiae TMB 3400 consumed 31% more xylose of a feed containing both glucose and xylose than S. cerevisiae TMB 3399. The biomass yields for S. cerevisiae TMB 3400 were 0.46 g of biomass g of consumed carbohydrate(-1) on glucose and 0.43 g of biomass g of consumed carbohydrate(-1) on xylose. A K(s) value of 33 mM for xylose was obtained for S. cerevisiae TMB 3400. In general, the percentage error was <20% between duplicate microarray experiments originating from independent fermentation experiments. Microarray analysis showed higher expression in S. cerevisiae TMB 3400 than in S. cerevisiae TMB 3399 for (i) HXT5, encoding a hexose transporter; (ii) XKS1, encoding xylulokinase, an enzyme involved in one of the initial steps of xylose utilization; and (iii) SOL3, GND1, TAL1, and TKL1, encoding enzymes in the pentose phosphate pathway. In addition, the transcriptional regulators encoded by YCR020C, YBR083W, and YPR199C were expressed differently in the two strains. Xylose utilization was, however, not affected in strains in which YCR020C was overexpressed or deleted. The higher expression of XKS1 in S. cerevisiae TMB 3400 than in TMB 3399 correlated with higher specific xylulokinase activity in the cell extracts. The specific activity of xylose reductase and xylitol dehydrogenase was also higher for S. cerevisiae TMB 3400 than for TMB 3399, both on glucose and on the mixture of glucose and xylose.

Comparison of the fermentability of enzymatic hydrolyzates of sugarcane bagasse pretreated by steam explosion using different impregnating agents

Sugarcane bagasse is a potential lignocellulosic feedstock for ethanol production, since it is cheap, readily available, and has a high carbohydrate content. In this work, bagasse was subjected to steam explosion pretreatment with different impregnation conditions. Three parallel pretreatments were carried out, one without any impregnation, a second with sulfur dioxide, and a third with sulfuric acid as the impregnating agent. The pretreatments were performed at 205 degrees C for 10 min. The pretreated material was then hydrolyzed using cellulolytic enzymes. The chemical composition of the hydrolyzates was analyzed. The highest yields of xylose (16.2 g/100 g dry bagasse), arabinose (1.5 g/100 g), and total sugar (52.9 g/100 g) were obtained in the hydrolysis of the SO2 -impregnated bagasse. The H2SO4 -impregnated bagasse gave the highest glucose yield (35.9 g/100 g) but the lowest total sugar yield (42.3 g/100 g) among the three methods. The low total sugar yield from the H2SO4-impregnated bagasse was largely due to by-product formation, as the dehydration of xylose to furfural. Sulfuric acid impregnation led to a three-fold increase in the concentration of the fermentation inhibitors furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and a two-fold increase in the concentration of inhibitory aliphatic acids (formic, acetic, and levulinic acids) compared to the other two pretreatment methods. The total content of phenolic compounds was not strongly affected by the different pretreatment methods, but the quantities of separate phenolic compounds were widely different in the hydrolyzate from the H2SO4-impregnated bagasse compared with the other two hydrolyzates. No major differences in the content of inhibitors were observed in the hydrolyzates obtained from SO2-impregnated and non-impregnated bagasse. The fermentability of all three hydrolyzates was tested with a xylose-utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain with and without nutrient supplementation. The hydrolyzates of SO2-impregnated and nonimpregnated bagasse showed similar fermentability, whereas the hydrolyzate of H2SO4-impregnated bagasse fermented considerably poorer.

Treatment with lignin residue: a novel method for detoxification of lignocellulose hydrolysates

Acid hydrolysis of lignocellulose to hydrolysates intended for production of fuel ethanol results in the formation of byproducts in addition to fermentable sugars. Some of the byproducts, such as phenolic compounds and furan aldehydes, are inhibitory to the fermenting microorganism. Detoxification of the hydrolysates may be necessary for production of ethanol at a satisfactory rate and yield. The lignin residue obtained after hydrolysis is a material with hydrophobic properties that is produced in large amounts as a byproduct within an ethanol production process based on lignocellulosic raw materials. We have explored the possibility of using this lignin residue for detoxification of spruce dilute-acid hydrolysates prior to fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Three dilute-acid hydrolysates of spruce were treated with lignin residue, which in all cases resulted in improved fermentability in terms of productivity and yield of ethanol. The effect was improved by washing the lignin before treatment, by using larger amounts of lignin in the treatment, and by performing the treatment at low temperature. Treatment with the lignin residue removed up to 53% of the phenolic compounds and up to 68% of the furan aldehydes in a spruce dilute-acid hydrolysate. A larger fraction of furfural was removed compared to the less hydrophobic 5-hydroxymethylfurfural.

Supercritical fluid extraction of a lignocellulosic hydrolysate of spruce for detoxification and to facilitate analysis of inhibitors

This work describes a novel approach to detoxify lignocellulosic hydrolysates and facilitate the analysis of inhibitory compounds, namely supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). The efficiency of the fermentation of lignocellulosic dilute-acid hydrolysates depends upon the composition of the hydrolysate and the organism used. Furthermore, it has been shown that inhibitors in the hydrolysate reduce the fermentation yield. This knowledge has given rise to the need to identify and remove the inhibiting compounds. Sample clean-up or work-up steps, to provide a clean and concentrated sample for the analytical system, facilitate the characterization of inhibitors, or indeed any compound in the hydrolysates. Removal of inhibitors was performed with countercurrent flow supercritical fluid extraction of liquid hydrolysates. Three different groups of inhibitors (furan derivatives, phenolic compounds, and aliphatic acids) and sugars were subsequently analyzed in the hydrolysate, extracted hydrolysate, and extract. The effect of the SFE treatment was examined with respect to fermentability with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Not only did the extraction provide a clean and concentrated sample (extract) for analysis, but also a hydrolysate with increased fermentability as well as lower concentrations of inhibitors such as phenolics and furan derivatives.

Effect of different forms of alkali treatment on specific fermentation inhibitors and on the fermentability of lignocellulose hydrolysates for production of fuel ethanol

Treatment with alkali, particularly overliming, has been widely used as a method for the detoxification of lignocellulose hydrolysates prior to ethanolic fermentation. However, the mechanisms behind the detoxification effect and the influence of the choice of cation have not been well understood. In this study, a dilute acid hydrolysate of spruce and an inhibitor cocktail consisting of six known inhibitors were used to investigate different alkali detoxification methods. The various treatments included the addition of calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and ammonia to pH 10.0 and subsequent adjustment of the pH to 5.5 with either sulfuric or hydrochloric acid as well as treatment with the corresponding amounts of calcium, sodium, and potassium as sulfate or chloride salts at pH 5.5. An RP-HPLC method was developed for the separation of 18 different inhibitors in the hydrolysate, including furaldehydes and phenolics. Detection and quantification were carried out by means of UV, DAD, and ESI-MS in negative mode. Treatment of the spruce hydrolysate with alkali resulted in up to approximately 40% decrease in the concentration of furaldehydes. The effects on the aromatic compounds were complex. Furthermore, SFE was performed on the precipitate formed during alkali treatment to evaluate the inhibitor content of the precipitate, and the following RP-HPLC analysis implied that potential inhibitors were removed mainly through conversion rather than through filtration of precipitate. Parallel experiments in which sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid was used for acidification to pH 5.5 after alkali treatment indicated that the choice of anion did not affect the removal of inhibitors. Detoxification with calcium hydroxide and ammonia resulted in better fermentability using Saccharomyces cerevisiae than detoxification with sodium hydroxide. The results from the experiments with the inhibitor cocktail indicated that the positive effects of alkali treatment are difficult to explain by removal of the inhibitors only and that possible stimulatory effects on the fermenting organism warrant further attention.

Putative xylose and arabinose reductases inSaccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants, in which open reading frames (ORFs) displaying similarity to the aldo-keto reductase GRE3 gene have been deleted, were investigated regarding their ability to utilize xylose and arabinose. Reduced xylitol formation from D-xylose in gre3 mutants of S. cerevisiae suggests that Gre3p is the major D-xylose-reducing enzyme in S. cerevisiae. Cell extracts from the gre3 deletion mutant showed no detectable xylose reductase activity. Decreased arabitol formation from L-arabinose indicates that Gre3p, Ypr1p and the protein encoded by YJR096w are the major arabinose reducers in S. cerevisiae. The ypr1 deletion mutant showed the lowest specific L-arabinose reductase activity in cell extracts, 3.5 mU/mg protein compared with 7.4 mU/mg protein for the parental strain with no deletions, and the lowest rate of arabitol formation in vivo. In another set of S. cerevisiae strains, the same ORFs were overexpressed. Increased xylose and arabinose reductase activity was observed in cell extracts for S. cerevisiae overexpressing the GRE3, YPR1 and YJR096w genes. These results, in combination with those obtained with the deletion mutants, suggest that Gre3p, Ypr1p and the protein encoded by YJR096w are capable of xylose and arabinose reduction in S. cerevisiae. Both the D-xylose reductase and the L-arabinose reductase activities exclusively used NADPH as co-factor.

Fermentation strategies for improved heterologous expression of laccase in Pichia pastoris

Improved expression of recombinant laccase by Pichia pastoris carrying the lcc1 cDNA isolated from Trametes versicolor was achieved by optimization of the cultivation conditions in a fermentor equipped with a methanol sensor system. The results indicated that the activity obtained in fermentor cultivations was at least 7 times higher than in shake-flask cultures. Three different strategies for fermentor cultivations were compared: A (30 degrees C, 1.0% methanol), B (20 degrees C, 1.0% methanol), and C (20 degrees C, 0.5% methanol). The laccase activity, particularly the specific activity, could be improved by decreasing the cultivation temperature. The mechanisms behind the temperature effect on the laccase activity may be ascribed to poor stability, release of more proteases from dead cells, and folding problems at higher temperature. The results showed that the methanol concentration had a marked effect on the production of active heterologous laccase. A fivefold higher volumetric laccase activity was obtained when the methanol concentration was kept at 0.5% instead of 1.0%. The detrimental effect of methanol on the production of recombinant laccase may be attributed to lower laccase stability, a higher proteolytic activity, and folding problems due to higher growth rate at 1.0% methanol.

Detoxification of lignocellulose hydrolysates with ion-exchange resins

Lignocellulose hydrolysates contain fermentation inhibitors causing decreased ethanol production. The inhibitors include phenolic compounds, furan aldehydes, and aliphatic acids. One of the most efficient methods for removing inhibiting compounds prior to fermentation is treatment of the hydrolysate with ion-exchange resins. The performance and detoxification mechanism of three different resins were examined: an anion exchanger, a cation exchanger, and a resin without charged groups (XAD-8). A dilute acid hydrolysate of spruce was treated with the resins at pH 5.5 and 10.0 prior to ethanolic fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In addition to the experiments with hydrolysate, the effect of the resins on selected model compounds, three phenolics (vanillin, guaiacol, and coniferyl aldehyde) and two furan aldehydes (furfural and hydroxymethyl furfural), was determined. The cation exchanger increased ethanol production, but to a lesser extent than XAD-8, which in turn was less effective than the anion exchanger. Treatment at pH 10.0 was more effective than at pH 5.5. At pH 10.0, the anion exchanger efficiently removed both anionic and uncharged inhibitors, the latter by hydrophobic interactions. The importance of hydrophobic interactions was further indicated by a substantial decrease in the concentration of model compounds, such as guaiacol and furfural, after treatment with XAD-8.

Metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for xylose utilization

Metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for ethanolic fermentation of xylose is summarized with emphasis on progress made during the last decade. Advances in xylose transport, initial xylose metabolism, selection of host strains, transformation and classical breeding techniques applied to industrial polyploid strains as well as modeling of xylose metabolism are discussed. The production and composition of the substrates--lignocellulosic hydrolysates--is briefly summarized. In a future outlook iterative strategies involving the techniques of classical breeding, quantitative physiology, proteomics, DNA micro arrays, and genetic engineering are proposed for the development of efficient xylose-fermenting recombinant strains of S. cerevisiae.

Effect of overexpression of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pad1p on the resistance to phenylacrylic acids and lignocellulose hydrolysates under aerobic and oxygen-limited conditions

Lignocellulose hydrolysates, obtained by acid hydrolysis for production of bioethanol, contain, in addition to fermentable sugars, compounds that inhibit the fermenting micro-organism. One approach to alleviate the inhibition problem is to use genetic engineering to introduce increased tolerance. Phenylacrylic acid decarboxylase (Pad1p) catalyses a decarboxylation step, by which aromatic carboxylic acids are converted to the corresponding vinyl derivatives. Pad1p-overexpressing Saccharomyces cerevisiae was cultivated in synthetic medium in the presence of model compounds, ferulic acid [(2 E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoic acid] and cinnamic acid [(2 E)-3-phenylprop-2-enoic acid], as well as in a dilute acid hydrolysate of spruce to examine the resistance against fermentation inhibitors. Overexpression of S. cerevisiae phenylacrylic acid decarboxylase (Pad1p) resulted in an improved growth rate and ethanol productivity in the presence of ferulic acid, cinnamic acid, and in a dilute acid hydrolysate of spruce. Vinyl guaiacol (2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol) was identified as a major metabolite of ferulic acid, and dihydroferulic acid [3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)propanoic acid] was detected under oxygen-limited conditions. Styrene (vinylbenzene) and dihydrocinnamic acid (3-phenylpropanoic acid) were identified as metabolites of cinnamic acid. Transformants overexpressing Pad1p had the ability to convert ferulic and cinnamic acid at a faster rate than a control transformant (PAD(C)) not overexpressing Pad1p. This enabled faster growth for Pad1p-overexpressing transformants under both aerobic and oxygen-limited conditions. Pad1p activity was also studied using non-growing cells. The overexpressing transformants showed approximately tenfold higher activity than PAD(C). The Pad1p overexpressing transformants also showed a 22-25% faster glucose consumption rate, a 40-45% faster mannose consumption rate, and a 24-29% faster ethanol production rate in the dilute acid hydrolysate of spruce.