Reduced inhibition of enzymatic hydrolysis of steam-pretreated softwood

Towards efficient enzymatic saccharification of pretreated lignocellulose: Enzyme inhibition by lignin-derived phenolics and recent trends in mitigation strategies

Lignocellulosic biorefinery based on its sugar-platform has been considered as an efficient strategy to replace fossil fuel-based refinery. In the bioconversion process, pretreatment is an essential step to firstly open up lignocellulose cell wall structure and enhance the accessibility of carbohydrates to hydrolytic enzymes. However, various lignin and/or carbohydrates degradation products (e.g. phenolics, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural) also generated during pretreatment, which severely inhibit the following enzymatic hydrolysis and the downstream fermentation process. Among them, the lignin derived phenolics have been considered as the most inhibitory compounds and their inhibitory effects are highly dependent on the source of biomass and the type of pretreatment strategy. Although liquid-solid separation and subsequent washing can remove the lignin derived phenolics and other inhibitors, this is undesirable in the realistic industrial application where the whole slurry of pretreated biomass need to be directly used in the hydrolysis process. This review summarizes the phenolics formation mechanism for various commonly applied pretreatment methods and discusses the key factors that affect the inhibitory effect of phenolics on cellulose hydrolysis. In addition, the recent achievements on the rational design of inhibition mitigation strategies to boost cellulose hydrolysis for sugar-platform biorefinery are also introduced. This review also provides guidance for rational design detoxification strategies to facilitate whole slurry hydrolysis which helps to realize the industrialization of lignocellulose biorefinery.

Pineapple Waste Cell Wall Sugar Fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae for Second Generation Bioethanol Production

Agricultural food waste is rich in cellulosic and non-cellulosic fermentable substance. In this study, we investigated the bioconversion of pineapple waste cell wall sugars into bioethanol by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC 4126. Soluble and insoluble cell wall sugars were investigated during the fermentation process. Moreover, the fermentation medium was investigated for protein, moisture, ash, lignin and glycerol determinations with a particular focus on the increase in single cell protein due to yeast growth, allowing a total valorization of the resulting fermentation medium, with no further waste production, with respect to environmental sustainability. Soluble and insoluble sugars in the starting material were 32.12% and 26.33% respectively. The main insoluble sugars resulting from the cell wall hydrolysis detected at the beginning of the fermentation, were glucose, xylose and uronic acid. Glucose and mannose were the most prevalent sugars in the soluble sugars fraction. The ethanol theoretical yield, calculated according to dry matter lost, reached up to 85% (3.9% EtOH). The final fermentation substrate was mainly represented by pentose sugars. The protein content increased from 4.45% up to 20.1% during the process.

Analytical Characterization and Inhibitor Detection in Liquid Phases Obtained After Steam Refining of Corn Stover and Maize Silage

The utilization of agricultural products and residues for the production of value-added and biobased products is a highly relevant topic in present research. Due to the natural recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass against enzymatic degradation, pretreatments are important requirement for further processes. For the raw material in this study, corn stover (CS) as highly available agricultural residue and maize silage (MS) as model substrate for an ensiled agricultural product were pretreated by steam refining. However, after processing a liquid fraction and fibers are present. Subsequent to steaming the fiber fraction is well characterized. Nonetheless, in depth characterizations of the filtrates are also important for their subsequent utilization. Decreasing molar masses from 7,900 g/mol to 1,100 g/mol for CS filtrates and 100.000–12.900 g/mol for MS filtrates were determined with increasing severity. Due to their proven inhibitory effect on microorganisms weak acids, furans and phenolic compounds within the liquid phased were analyzed. Especially formic acid increases with increasing severity from 0.27 to 1.20% based on raw material for CS and from 0.07 to 0.23% based on raw material for MS. Further GC/MS measurements indicate, that up to 8.25% (CS filtrate) and 5.23% (MS filtrates) of the total peak area is related to inhibitory phenols. Considering the data, detoxification strategies are of non-negligible importance for filtrates after steam refining and should be considered for further research and process or parameter optimizations. An alternative may be the application of milder process conditions in order to prevent the formation of inhibitory degradation products or the dilution of the gained filtrates.

Cellulase Addition and Pre-hydrolysis Effect of High Solid Fed-Batch Simultaneous Saccharification and Ethanol Fermentation from a Combined Pretreated Oil Palm Trunk

In the current study, alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreated oil palm trunk fibers were subjected to ethanol production via simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). The effect of high substrate loading, enzyme and substrate feeding strategy, and influence of a pre-hydrolysis step in SSF was studied to scale up ethanol production. In the enzyme feeding strategy, the addition of an enzyme at the start of fed-batch SSF significantly (p < 0.05) increased ethanol concentration to 51.05 g/L, ethanol productivity (Q_P ) to 0.61 g/L·h, and ethanol yield (Y _P/S) to 0.31 g/g, with a theoretical ethanol yield of 60.65%. Furthermore, the initial velocity of the enzyme (V ₀) in the first 8 h was 2.27 (g/h) with a glucose concentration of 18.17 g/L. On the other hand, the substrate feeding strategy and pre-hydrolysis simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (PSSF) process were studied in a 1 L fermenter. PSSF in fed batch with 10 and 20% (w/v) significantly improved enzyme hydrolysis, circumvent the problems of high viscosity, reduced overall fermentation time, and gave the highest ethanol concentration of 51.66 g/L, ethanol productivity (Q_P ) of 0.72 g/L·h, ethanol yield (Y _P/S) of 0.31 g/g, and theoretical ethanol yield of 60.66%. In addition, PSSF with 10 and 20% significantly increased the initial velocity of the enzyme (V ₀) to 4.64 and 4.40 (g/h) and glucose concentration to 37.14 and 35.27 g/L, respectively. This result indicated that ethanol production by PSSF along with substrate feeding could enhance ethanol production efficiently.

Mitochondrial pyruvate carrier regulates the lignocellulosic decomposition rate through metabolism in Ganoderma lucidum

The activity of mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) can be modulated to regulate intracellular metabolism under different culture conditions. In Ganoderma lucidum, the role of MPC in regulating carbon sources remains unknown. By knocking down MPC genes (MPC1 and MPC2), this research found that the loss of MPC increased the growth rate of G. lucidum by ~30% in a medium with wood chips as a carbon source. Then cellulase and laccase activities were tested. Endoglucanase and laccase activity increased by ~50% and ~35%, respectively, in MPC knockdown mutants compared with that in the wild type strain. Finally, the expression levels of genes related to glycolysis were assayed, and the transcription levels of these enzymes were found to be increased by ~250% compared with the wild type strain. In conclusion, the regulation of intracellular metabolism by MPC provides a new way to improve the use of nondominant carbon sources such as lignocellulose.

Role of metagenomics in prospecting novel endoglucanases, accentuating functional metagenomics approach in second-generation biofuel production: a review

As the fossil fuel reserves are depleting rapidly, there is a need for alternate fuels to meet the day to day mounting energy demands. As fossil fuel started depleting, a quest for alternate forms of fuel was initiated and biofuel is one of its promising outcomes. First-generation biofuels are made from edible sources like vegetable oils, starch, and sugars. Second-generation biofuels (SGB) are derived from lignocellulosic crops and the third-generation involves algae for biofuel production. Technical challenges in the production of SGB are hampering its commercialization. Advanced molecular technologies like metagenomics can help in the discovery of novel lignocellulosic biomass-degrading enzymes for commercialization and industrial production of SGB. This review discusses the metagenomic outcomes to enlighten the importance of unexplored habitats for novel cellulolytic gene mining. It also emphasizes the potential of different metagenomic approaches to explore the uncultivable cellulose-degrading microbiome as well as cellulolytic enzymes associated with them. This review also includes effective pre-treatment technology and consolidated bioprocessing for efficient biofuel production.

High solids all-inclusive polysaccharide hydrolysis of steam-exploded corn pericarp by periodic peristalsis

A new sequence of steam explosion (SE) with periodic peristalsis (PP) exploited to fractionate corn pericarp (CP), and its high solid cellulosic hydrolysis to increase sugar yield. In this investigation, the optimum SE-condition was 0.8 MPa/5 min., recovered around 12.62 % total sugars than untreated CP, whereas glucan and xylan digestibility reached around 97 % and 87 %, respectively. Besides that, the unground SECP conversion increased by 27.10 % glucan and 34.18 % xylan than the ground one. FE-SEM, FTIR, XRD results confirmed that SE significantly fractionated the amorphous substances that driven the increment of the crystallinity index. SE changed the functional groups without altering the lignin, and also the formation of degradations products was negligible and not detrimental to sugars conversion. An unpolluted SEPP enzymatic hydrolysis system at high solid loading (25 %) with compatible low cellulase dose (15 FPU g^-1 solids) was beneficial to intensified sugars conversion.

Two-stage steam explosion pretreatment of softwood with 2-naphthol as carbocation scavenger

BACKGROUND

 Lignocellulosic biomass is considered as a potential source for sustainable biofuels. In the conversion process, a pretreatment step is necessary in order to overcome the biomass recalcitrance and allow for sufficient fermentable sugar yields in enzymatic hydrolysis. Steam explosion is a well known pretreatment method working without additional chemicals and allowing for efficient particle size reduction. However, it is not effective for the pretreatment of softwood and the harsh conditions necessary to achieve a highly digestible cellulose fraction lead to the partial degradation of the hemicellulosic sugars. Previous studies showed that the autohydrolysis pretreatreatment of softwood can benefit from the addition of 2-naphthol. This carbocation scavenger prevents lignin repolymerisation leading to an enhanced glucose yield in the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis.

RESULTS

 In order to prevent the degradation of the hemicellulose, we investigated in this study a two-stage 2-naphthol steam explosion pretreatment. In the first stage, spruce wood is pretreated at a severity which is optimal for the autocatalytic hydrolysis of the hemicellulose. The hydrolyzate containing the solubilized sugars is withdrawn from the reactor and the remaining solids are pretreated with different amounts of 2-naphthol in a second stage at a severity that allows for high glucose yields in enzymatic hydrolysis. The pretreated spruce was subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis and to simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). In the first stage, the maximal yield of hemicellulosic sugars was 47.5% at a pretreatment severity of log R 0  = 3.75 at 180 °C. In the second stage, a 2-naphthol dosage of 0.205 mol/mol lignin C9-unit increased the ethanol yield in SSF with a cellulose loading of 1% using the whole second stage pretreatment slurry by 17% from 73.6% for the control without 2-naphthol to 90.4%. At a higher solid loading corresponding to 5% w/w cellulose, the yields decreased due to higher concentrations of residual 2-naphthol in the biomass and the pretreatment liquor, but also due to higher concentrations of potential inhibitors like HMF, furfural and acetic acid. Experiments with washed solids, vacuum filtered solids and the whole slurry showed that residual 2-naphthol can inhibit the fermentation as a single inhibitor but also synergistically together with HMF, furfural and acetic acid.

CONCLUSIONS

 This work shows that a two-stage pretreatment greatly enhances the recovery of hemicellulosic sugars from spruce wood. The presence of 2-naphthol in the second pretreatment stage can enhance the ethanol yield in SSF of steam explosion pretreated softwood at low cellulose concentrations of 1% w/w. However, with higher solid loadings of 5% w/w cellulose, the ethanol yields were in general lower due to the solid effect and a synergistic inhibition of HMF, furfural, acetic acid with residual 2-naphthol. The concentration of residual 2-naphthol tolerated by the yeast decreased with increasing concentrations of HMF, furfural, and acetic acid.

Identifying and overcoming the effect of mass transfer limitation on decreased yield in enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulose at high solid concentrations

Cellulose conversion decreases significantly with increasing solid concentrations during enzymatic hydrolysis of insoluble lignocellulosic materials. Here, mass transfer limitation was identified as a significant determining factor of this decrease by studying the hydrolysis of delignified corncob residue in shake flask, the most used reaction vessel in bench scale. Two mass transfer efficiency-related factors, mixing speed and flask filling, were shown to correlate closely with cellulose conversion at solid loadings higher than 15% DM. The role of substrate characteristics in mass transfer performance was also significant, which was revealed by the saccharification of two corn stover substrates with different pretreatment methods at the same solid loading. Several approaches including premix, fed-batch operation, and particularly the use of horizontal rotating reactor were shown to be valid in facilitating cellulose conversion via improving mass transfer efficiency at solid concentrations higher than 15% DM.

Steam pretreatment of Saccharum officinarum L. bagasse by adding of impregnating agents for advanced bioethanol production

The main byproduct of the sugarcane industry, Saccharum officinarum L. bagasse (sugarcane bagasse, SCB), is widely used as lignocellulose biomass for bio-ethanol (EtOH) production. In this research study, SCB was pretreated by steam explosion (SE) method using two different impregnating agents: sulfur dioxide (SD) and hydrogen peroxide (HP). As matter of fact, the use of impregnating agents improves the performance of SE method, increasing the concentrations of fermentable sugars after enzymatic saccharification, and decreasing the inhibitor compounds produced during the steam pretreatment step. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the use of the two impregnating agents in various SE-conditions in order to optimize pretreatment parameters. For every pretreatment condition, it has been evaluated: concentration of fermentable sugars, glucose and xylose yields, and the effects of the inhibitor compounds on enzymatic hydrolysis step. The obtained results allow to improve the efficiency of the whole process of bio-EtOH synthesis enhancing the amount of fermentable sugars produced and the eco-sustainability of the whole process. Indeed, the optimization of steam pretreatment leads to a reduction of energy requirements and to a lower environmental impact.

Physico-Chemical Alternatives in Lignocellulosic Materials in Relation to the Kind of Component for Fermenting Purposes

The complete bioconversion of the carbohydrate fraction is of great importance for a lignocellulosic-based biorefinery. However, due to the structure of the lignocellulosic materials, and depending basically on the main parameters within the pretreatment steps, numerous byproducts are generated and they act as inhibitors in the fermentation operations. In this sense, the impact of inhibitory compounds derived from lignocellulosic materials is one of the major challenges for a sustainable biomass-to-biofuel and -bioproduct industry. In order to minimise the negative effects of these compounds, numerous methodologies have been tested including physical, chemical, and biological processes. The main physical and chemical treatments have been studied in this work in relation to the lignocellulosic material and the inhibitor in order to point out the best mechanisms for fermenting purposes. In addition, special attention has been made in the case of lignocellulosic hydrolysates obtained by chemical processes with SO₂, due to the complex matrix of these materials and the increase in these methodologies in future biorefinery markets. Recommendations of different detoxification methods have been given.

Transcriptional profiling reveals molecular basis and novel genetic targets for improved resistance to multiple fermentation inhibitors in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

BACKGROUND

Lignocellulosic biomass is a promising source of renewable biofuels. However, pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass generates fermentation inhibitors that adversely affect the growth of industrial microorganisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and prevent economic production of lignocellulosic biofuels. A critical challenge on developing S. cerevisiae with improved inhibitor resistance lies in incomplete understanding of molecular basis for inhibitor stress response and limited information on effective genetic targets for increasing yeast resistance to mixed fermentation inhibitors. In this study, we applied comparative transcriptomic analysis to determine the molecular basis for acetic acid and/or furfural resistance in S. cerevisiae.

RESULTS

We recently developed a yeast strain YC1 with superior resistance to acetic acid, furfural, and their mixture through inverse metabolic engineering. In this study, we first determined transcriptional changes through RNA sequencing in YC1 versus the wild-type strain S-C1 under three different inhibitor conditions, including acetic acid alone, furfural alone, and mixture of acetic acid and furfural. The genes associated with stress responses of S. cerevisiae to single and mixed inhibitors were revealed. Specifically, we identified 184 consensus genes that were differentially regulated in response to the distinct inhibitor resistance between YC1 and S-C1. Bioinformatic analysis next revealed key transcription factors (TFs) that regulate these consensus genes. The top TFs identified, Sfp1p and Ace2p, were experimentally tested as overexpression targets for strain optimization. Overexpression of the SFP1 gene improved specific ethanol productivity by nearly four times, while overexpression of the ACE2 gene enhanced the rate by three times in the presence of acetic acid and furfural. Overexpression of SFP1 gene in the resistant strain YC1 further resulted in 42 % increase in ethanol productivity in the presence of acetic acid and furfural, suggesting the effect of Sfp1p in optimizing the yeast strain for improved tolerance to mixed fermentation inhibitor.

CONCLUSIONS

Transcriptional regulation underlying yeast resistance to acetic acid and furfural was determined. Two transcription factors, Sfp1p and Ace2p, were uncovered for the first time for their functions in improving yeast resistance to mixed fermentation inhibitors. The study demonstrated an omics-guided metabolic engineering framework, which could be developed as a promising strategy to improve complex microbial phenotypes.

Pretreatment and conversion of lignocellulose biomass into valuable chemicals

Lignocellulose biomass can be utilized in many sectors of industry such as energy, chemical, and transportation. However, pretreatment is needed to break down the intricate bonding before converting it into wanted product.

Structural insights into the inhibition of cellobiohydrolase Cel7A by xylo-oligosaccharides

The filamentous fungus Hypocrea jecorina (anamorph of Trichoderma reesei) is the predominant source of enzymes for industrial saccharification of lignocellulose biomass. The major enzyme, cellobiohydrolase Cel7A, constitutes nearly half of the total protein in the secretome. The performance of such enzymes is susceptible to inhibition by compounds liberated by physico-chemical pre-treatment if the biomass is kept unwashed. Xylan and xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) have been proposed to play a key role in inhibition of cellobiohydrolases of glycoside hydrolase family 7. To elucidate the mechanism behind this inhibition at a molecular level, we used X-ray crystallography to determine structures of H. jecorina Cel7A in complex with XOS. Structures with xylotriose, xylotetraose and xylopentaose revealed a predominant binding mode at the entrance of the substrate-binding tunnel of the enzyme, in which each xylose residue is shifted ~ 2.4 Å towards the catalytic center compared with binding of cello-oligosaccharides. Furthermore, partial occupancy of two consecutive xylose residues at subsites -2 and -1 suggests an alternative binding mode for XOS in the vicinity of the catalytic center. Interestingly, the -1 xylosyl unit exhibits an open aldehyde conformation in one of the structures and a ring-closed pyranoside in another complex. Complementary inhibition studies with p-nitrophenyl lactoside as substrate indicate mixed inhibition rather than pure competitive inhibition.

DATABASE

The atomic coordinates and structure factors are available in the Protein Data Bank under accession number 4D5I (H. jecorina Cel7A E212Q variant, complex with xylotriose), 4D5J (H. jecorina Cel7A E217Q variant, complex with xylotriose), 4D5O (H. jecorina Cel7A E212Q variant, complex with xylopentaose), 4D5P (H. jecorina Cel7A E217Q variant, complex with xylopentaose), 4D5Q (wild-type H. jecorina Cel7A, complex with xylopentaose) and 4D5V (H. jecorina Cel7A E217Q variant, complex with xylotetraose).

Kinetic modeling of multi-feed simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation of pretreated birch to ethanol

Fed-batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) is a feasible option for bioethanol production from lignocellulosic raw materials at high substrate concentrations. In this work, a segregated kinetic model was developed for simulation of fed-batch simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) of steam-pretreated birch, using substrate, enzymes and cell feeds. The model takes into account the dynamics of the cellulase-cellulose system and the cell population during SSCF, and the effects of pre-cultivation of yeast cells on fermentation performance. The model was cross-validated against experiments using different feed schemes. It could predict fermentation performance and explain observed differences between measured total yeast cells and dividing cells very well. The reproducibility of the experiments and the cell viability were significantly better in fed-batch than in batch SSCF at 15% and 20% total WIS contents. The model can be used for simulation of fed-batch SSCF and optimization of feed profiles.

Formulation of enzyme blends to maximize the hydrolysis of alkaline peroxide pretreated alfalfa hay and barley straw by rumen enzymes and commercial cellulases

BACKGROUND

Efficient conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugars requires the synergistic action of multiple enzymes; consequently enzyme mixtures must be properly formulated for effective hydrolysis. The nature of an optimal enzyme blends depends on the type of pretreatment employed as well the characteristics of the substrate. In this study, statistical experimental design was used to develop mixtures of recombinant glycosyl hydrolases from thermophilic and anaerobic fungi that enhanced the digestion of alkaline peroxide treated alfalfa hay and barley straw by mixed rumen enzymes as well as commercial cellulases (Accelerase 1500, A1500; Accelerase XC, AXC).

RESULTS

Combinations of feruloyl and acetyl xylan esterases (FAE1a; AXE16A_ASPNG), endoglucanase GH7 (EGL7A_THITE) and polygalacturonase (PGA28A_ASPNG) with rumen enzymes improved straw digestion. Inclusion of pectinase (PGA28A_ASPNG), endoxylanase (XYN11A_THITE), feruloyl esterase (FAE1a) and β-glucosidase (E-BGLUC) with A1500 or endoglucanase GH7 (EGL7A_THITE) and β-xylosidase (E-BXSRB) with AXC increased glucose release from alfalfa hay. Glucose yield from straw was improved when FAE1a and endoglucanase GH7 (EGL7A_THITE) were added to A1500, while FAE1a and AXE16A_ASPNG enhanced the activity of AXC on straw. Xylose release from alfalfa hay was augmented by supplementing A1500 with E-BGLUC, or AXC with EGL7A_THITE and XYN11A_THITE. Adding arabinofuranosidase (ABF54B_ASPNG) and esterases (AXE16A_ASPNG; AXE16B_ASPNG) to A1500, or FAE1a and AXE16A_ASPNG to AXC enhanced xylose release from barley straw, a response confirmed in a scaled up assay.

CONCLUSION

The efficacy of commercial enzyme mixtures as well as mixed enzymes from the rumen was improved through formulation with synergetic recombinant enzymes. This approach reliably identified supplemental enzymes that enhanced sugar release from alkaline pretreated alfalfa hay and barley straw.

Characteristics of corn stover pretreated with liquid hot water and fed-batch semi-simultaneous saccharification and fermentation for bioethanol production

Corn stover is a promising feedstock for bioethanol production because of its abundant availability in China. To obtain higher ethanol concentration and higher ethanol yield, liquid hot water (LHW) pretreatment and fed-batch semi-simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (S-SSF) were used to enhance the enzymatic digestibility of corn stover and improve bioconversion of cellulose to ethanol. The results show that solid residues from LHW pretreatment of corn stover can be effectively converted into ethanol at severity factors ranging from 3.95 to 4.54, and the highest amount of xylan removed was approximately 89%. The ethanol concentrations of 38.4 g/L and 39.4 g/L as well as ethanol yields of 78.6% and 79.7% at severity factors of 3.95 and 4.54, respectively, were obtained by fed-batch S-SSF in an optimum conditions (initial substrate consistency of 10%, and 6.1% solid residues added into system at the prehydrolysis time of 6 h). The changes in surface morphological structure, specific surface area, pore volume and diameter of corn stover subjected to LHW process were also analyzed for interpreting the possible improvement mechanism.

Inactivating effects of lignin-derived compounds released during lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment on the endo-glucanase catalyzed hydrolysis of carboxymethylcellulose: A study in continuous stirred ultrafiltration-membrane reactor

This study focusses on the reversible/irreversible damage that selected phenolic compounds, released during steam-explosion pretreatment, mandatory for cellulose accessibility, causes on both stability and activity of a commercial cellulase (half-life=173h) during carboxymethyl-cellulose hydrolysis. Long-term experiments performed in continuous stirred UF-membrane bioreactors, operating at steady-state regime, in controlled operational conditions, allowed evaluating the inactivation-constant in the phenol presence (kd1) and after its removal (kd2) from the reactor feed. p-Hydroxybenzoic acid (1 and 2g L(-1)) are the extreme limits in the inactivating effect with enzyme half-lives 99.02 and 14.15h, respectively. The inactivation reversibility was assessed for vanillic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, syringaldehyde, p-coumaric acid, being kd1>kd2. p-Hydroxybenzaldehyde and protocatechuic acid irreversibly affected cellulase stability increasing its inactivation with kd2>kd1. p-Hydroxybenzaldehyde, 1g L(-1), syringaldehyde, and vanillin, at 2gL(-1), had similar kd1÷kd2.

SSF of steam-pretreated wheat straw with the addition of saccharified or fermented wheat meal in integrated bioethanol production

BACKGROUND

Integration of second-generation (2G) bioethanol production with existing first-generation (1G) production may facilitate commercial production of ethanol from cellulosic material. Since 2G hydrolysates have a low sugar concentration and 1G streams often have to be diluted prior to fermentation, mixing of streams is beneficial. Improved ethanol concentrations in the 2G production process lowers energy demand in distillation, improves overall energy efficiency and thus lower production cost. There is also a potential to reach higher ethanol yields, which is required in economically feasible ethanol production. Integrated process scenarios with addition of saccharified wheat meal (SWM) or fermented wheat meal (FWM) were investigated in simultaneous saccharification and (co-)fermentation (SSF or SSCF) of steam-pretreated wheat straw, while the possibility of recovering the valuable protein-rich fibre residue from the wheat was also studied.

RESULTS

The addition of SWM to SSF of steam-pretreated wheat straw, using commercially used dried baker's yeast, S. cerevisiae, resulted in ethanol concentrations of about 60 g/L, equivalent to ethanol yields of about 90% of the theoretical. The addition of FWM in batch mode SSF was toxic to baker's yeast, due to the ethanol content of FWM, resulting in a very low yield and high accumulation of glucose. The addition of FWM in fed-batch mode still caused a slight accumulation of glucose, but the ethanol concentration was fairly high, 51.2 g/L, corresponding to an ethanol yield of 90%, based on the amount of glucose added.In batch mode of SSCF using the xylose-fermenting, genetically modified S. cerevisiae strain KE6-12, no improvement was observed in ethanol yield or concentration, compared with baker's yeast, despite the increased xylose utilization, probably due to the considerable increase in glycerol production. A slight increase in xylose consumption was seen when glucose from SWM was fed at a low feed rate, after 48 hours, compared with batch SSCF. However, the ethanol yield and concentration remained in the same range as in batch mode.

CONCLUSION

Ethanol concentrations of about 6% (w/v) were obtained, which will result in a significant reduction in the cost of downstream processing, compared with SSF of the lignocellulosic substrate alone. As an additional benefit, it is also possible to recover the protein-rich residue from the SWM in the process configurations presented, providing a valuable co-product.

Biohydrogen production from sugarcane bagasse by integrating dark- and photo-fermentation

Hydrogen production from sugarcane bagasse (SCB) by integrating dark-fermentation by Enterobacter aerogenes MTCC 2822 and photo-fermentation by Rhodopseudomonas BHU 01 was investigated. The SCB was hydrolysed by sulphuric acid and the hydrolysate detoxified by passing through adsorbent resin column (Amberlite XAD-4) to remove the inhibitory furfural, and subjected to dark-fermentation. The cellulosic residue from acid hydrolysis was hydrolysed by the new isolate Cellulomonas fimi to release sugars for H2 production by E. aerogenes, through simultaneous saccharification, filtration and fermentation (SSFF). Cumulative H2 production during dark-fermentation and SSFF was 1000 and 613 ml/L, respectively. The spent media of dark-fermentation and SSFF were utilized for photo-fermentation by Rhodopseudomonas BHU 01. The cumulative H2 production was 755 ml/L for dark-fermentation and 351 ml/L for SSFF spent medium.

Biological abatement of cellulase inhibitors

Removal of enzyme inhibitors released during lignocellulose pretreatment is essential for economically feasible biofuel production. We tested bio-abatement to mitigate enzyme inhibitor effects observed in corn stover liquors after pretreatment with either dilute acid or liquid hot water at 10% (w/v) solids. Bio-abatement of liquors was followed by enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. To distinguish between inhibitor effects on enzymes and recalcitrance of the substrate, pretreated corn stover solids were removed and replaced with 1% (w/v) Solka Floc. Cellulose conversion in the presence of bio-abated liquors from dilute acid pretreatment was 8.6% (0.1x enzyme) and 16% (1x enzyme) higher than control (non-abated) samples. In the presence of bio-abated liquor from liquid hot water pretreated corn stover, 10% (0.1x enzyme) and 13% (1x enzyme) higher cellulose conversion was obtained compared to control. Bio-abatement yielded improved enzyme hydrolysis in the same range as that obtained using a chemical (overliming) method for mitigating inhibitors.

Strong cellulase inhibitors from the hydrothermal pretreatment of wheat straw

BACKGROUND

The use of the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulose with subsequent fermentation to ethanol provides a green alternative for the production of transportation fuels. Because of its recalcitrant nature, the lignocellulosic biomass must be pretreated before enzymatic hydrolysis. However, the pretreatment often results in the formation of compounds that are inhibitory for the enzymes or fermenting organism. Although well recognized, little quantitative information on the inhibition of individual cellulase components by identified inhibitors is available.

RESULTS

Strong cellulase inhibitors were separated from the liquid fraction of the hydrothermal pretreatment of wheat straw. HPLC and mass-spectroscopy analyses confirmed that the inhibitors were oligosaccharides (inhibitory oligosaccharides, IOS) with a degree of polymerization from 7 to 16. The IOS are composed of a mixture of xylo- (XOS) and gluco-oligosaccharides (GOS). We propose that XOS and GOS are the fragments of the xylan backbone and mixed-linkage β-glucans, respectively. The IOS were approximately 100 times stronger inhibitors for Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolases (CBHs) than cellobiose, which is one of the strongest inhibitors of these enzymes reported to date. Inhibition of endoglucanases (EGs) by IOS was weaker than that of CBHs. Most of the tested cellulases and hemicellulases were able to slowly degrade IOS and reduce the inhibitory power of the liquid fraction to some extent. The most efficient single enzyme component here was T. reesei EG TrCel7B. Although reduced by the enzyme treatment, the residual inhibitory power of IOS and the liquid fraction was strong enough to silence the major component of the T. reesei cellulase system, CBH TrCel7A.

CONCLUSIONS

The cellulase inhibitors described here may be responsible for the poor yields from the enzymatic conversion of the whole slurries from lignocellulose pretreatment under conditions that do not favor complete degradation of hemicellulose. Identification of the inhibitory compounds helps to design better enzyme mixtures for their degradation and to optimize the pretreatment regimes to minimize their formation.

A novel alkaline oxidation pretreatment for spruce, birch and sugar cane bagasse

Alkaline oxidation pretreatment was developed for spruce, birch and sugar cane bagasse. The reaction was carried out in alkaline water solution under 10 bar oxygen pressure and at mild reaction temperature of 120-140°C. Most of the lignin was solubilised by the alkaline oxidation pretreatment and an easily hydrolysable carbohydrate fraction was obtained. After 72 h hydrolysis with a 10 FPU/g enzyme dosage, glucose yields of 80%, 91%, and 97%, for spruce, birch and bagasse, respectively, were achieved. The enzyme dosage could be decreased to 4 FPU/g without a major effect in terms of the hydrolysis performance. Compared to steam explosion alkaline oxidation was found to be significantly better in the conditions tested, especially for the pretreatment of spruce. In hydrolysis and fermentation at 12% d.m. consistency an ethanol yield of 80% could be obtained with both bagasse and spruce in 1-3 days.

Simultaneous saccharification, filtration and fermentation (SSFF): a novel method for bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass

Simultaneous saccharification, filtration and fermentation (SSFF) was developed for lignocellulosic ethanol production. In SSFF, pretreated lignocellulosic material is enzymatically hydrolyzed in a reactor, while the suspension is continuously pumped through a cross-flow membrane. The retentate goes back to the hydrolysis vessel, while a clear sugar-rich filtrate continuously perfuses through the fermentation vessel before it is pumped back to the hydrolysis vessel. The capacity and life span of the cross-flow filter module was examined for 4 weeks using enzymatically hydrolyzed slurry, initially with 14.4% suspended solids, without clogging or fouling. An ethanol yield of 85.0% of the theoretical yield was obtained in SSFF and a flocculating strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was successfully reused for five cultivations of SSFF.

Dilute acid pretreatment of lignocellulose for whole slurry ethanol fermentation

Dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment of oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) followed by the whole slurry fermentation of the pretreated EFB slurry was investigated. The optimized pretreatment conditions were at 1% (w/v) sulfuric acid with 3 min ramping to 190 °C in a microwave digester. Pretreated and washed EFB exhibited enzymatic digestibility of 88.5% of theoretical glucose yield after 48 h of hydrolysis. When the whole slurry of pretreated and neutralized EFB was used in simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) using cellulase and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, sulfuric acid-pretreated EFB resulted in 52.5% of theoretical ethanol yield based on total glucan in the untreated initial EFB after 72 h of SSF. When pretreated EFB slurry was treated with activated carbon before subjecting to SSF, the SSF furnished 87.5% ethanol yield based on the initial glucan content in untreated EFB (after 48 h of SSF).

Covalent immobilization of β-glucosidase on magnetic particles for lignocellulose hydrolysis

β-Glucosidase hydrolyzes cellobiose to glucose and is an important enzyme in the consortium used for hydrolysis of cellulosic and lignocellulosic feedstocks. In the present work, β-glucosidase was covalently immobilized on non-porous magnetic particles to enable re-use of the enzyme. It was found that particles activated with cyanuric chloride and polyglutaraldehyde gave the highest bead-related immobilized enzyme activity when tested with p-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (104.7 and 82.2 U/g particles, respectively). Furthermore, the purified β-glucosidase preparation from Megazyme gave higher bead-related enzyme activities compared to Novozym 188 (79.0 and 9.8 U/g particles, respectively). A significant improvement in thermal stability was observed for immobilized enzyme compared to free enzyme; after 5 h (at 65 °C), 36 % of activity remained for the former, while there was no activity in the latter. The performance and recyclability of immobilized β-glucosidase on more complex substrate (pretreated spruce) was also studied. It was shown that adding immobilized β-glucosidase (16 U/g dry matter) to free cellulases (8 FPU/g dry matter) increased the hydrolysis yield of pretreated spruce from ca. 44 % to ca. 65 %. In addition, it was possible to re-use the immobilized β-glucosidase in the spruce and retain activity for at least four cycles. The immobilized enzyme thus shows promise for lignocellulose hydrolysis.

High titer ethanol production from SPORL-pretreated lodgepole pine by simultaneous enzymatic saccharification and combined fermentation

Lodgepole wood chips were pretreated by sulfite pretreatment to overcome recalcitrance of lignocelluloses (SPORL) at 25% solids loading and 180 °C for 20 min with sulfuric acid and sodium bisulfite charges of 2.2 and 8 wt/wt% on an oven-dry wood basis, respectively. The pretreated wood chips were disk-milled with pretreatment spent liquor and water, and the solid fraction was separated from the liquor stream. The liquor was neutralized and concentrated through vacuum evaporation. Quasi-simultaneous enzymatic saccharification of the cellulosic solids and combined fermentation with the concentrated liquor was conducted at up to 20% total solids loading. Fed-batching of the solids facilitated liquefaction and saccharification, as well as managing instantaneous inhibitor concentrations. At a commercial cellulase (CTec2) loading of only 9 FPU or 0.06 mL/g untreated wood, a maximum ethanol titer of 47.4 g/L was achieved, resulting in a calculated yield of 285 L/tonne of wood using Saccharomyces cerevisiae YRH400 at 35 °C and pH 5.5.

Binding characteristics of a bacterial expansin (BsEXLX1) for various types of pretreated lignocellulose

BsEXLX1 from Bacillus subtilis is the first discovered bacterial expansin as a structural homolog of a plant expansin, and it exhibited synergism with cellulase on the cellulose hydrolysis in a previous study. In this study, binding characteristics of BsEXLX1 were investigated using pretreated and untreated Miscanthus x giganteus in comparison with those of CtCBD3, a cellulose-binding domain from Clostridium thermocellum. The amounts of BsEXLX1 bound to cellulose-rich substrates were significantly lower than those of CtCBD3. However, the amounts of BsEXLX1 bound to lignin-rich substrates were much higher than those of CtCBD3. A binding competition assay between BsEXLX1 and CtCBD3 revealed that binding of BsEXLX1 to alkali lignin was not affected by the presence of CtCBD3. This preferential binding of BsEXLX1 to lignin could be related to root colonization in plants by bacteria, and the bacterial expansin could be used as a lignin blocker in the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulose.

Xylo-oligosaccharides are competitive inhibitors of cellobiohydrolase I from Thermoascus aurantiacus

The effects of xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) and xylose on the hydrolytic activities of cellulases, endoglucanase II (EGII, originating from Thermoascus aurantiacus), cellobiohydrolase I (CBHI, from T. aurantiacus), and cellobiohydrolase II (CBHII, from Trichoderma reesei) on Avicel and nanocellulose were investigated. After the addition of XOS, the amounts of cellobiose, the main product released from Avicel and nanocellulose by CBHI, decreased from 0.78 and 1.37 mg/ml to 0.59 and 1.23 mg/ml, respectively. During hydrolysis by CBHII, the amounts of cellobiose released from the substrates were almost cut in half after the addition of XOS. Kinetic experiments showed that xylobiose and xylotriose were competitive inhibitors of CBHI. The results revealed that the strong inhibition of cellulase by XOS can be attributed to the inhibitory effect of XOS especially on cellobiohydrolase I. The results indicate the necessity to totally hydrolyze xylo-oligosaccharides into the less inhibitory product, xylose, to increasing hydrolytic efficiency.

Simultaneous utilization of glucose, xylose and arabinose in the presence of acetate by a consortium of Escherichia coli strains

Background

The efficient microbial utilization of lignocellulosic hydrolysates has remained challenging because this material is composed of multiple sugars and also contains growth inhibitors such as acetic acid (acetate). Using an engineered consortium of strains derived from Escherichia coli C and a synthetic medium containing acetate, glucose, xylose and arabinose, we report on both the microbial removal of acetate and the subsequent simultaneous utilization of the sugars.

Results

In a first stage, a strain unable to utilize glucose, xylose and arabinose (ALS1392, strain E. coli C ptsG manZ glk crr xylA araA) removed 3 g/L acetate within 30 hours. In a subsequent second stage, three E. coli strains (ALS1370, ALS1371, ALS1391), which are each engineered to utilize only one sugar, together simultaneously utilized glucose, xylose and arabinose. The effect of non-metabolizable sugars on the metabolism of the target sugar was minimal. Additionally the deletions necessary to prevent the consumption of one sugar only minimally affected the consumption of a desired sugar. For example, the crr deletion necessary to prevent glucose consumption reduced xylose and arabinose utilization by less than 15% compared to the wild-type. Similarly, the araA deletion used to exclude arabinose consumption did not affect xylose- and glucose-consumption.

Conclusions

Despite the modest reduction in the overall rate of sugar consumption due to the various deletions that were required to generate the consortium of strains, the approach constitutes a significant improvement in any single-organism approach to utilize sugars found in lignocellulosic hydrolysate in the presence of acetate.

Use of an algal hydrolysate to improve enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulose

This study investigated the use of acid hydrolyzed algae to enhance the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. The farm-waste grown algal samples were first characterized, and the optimal conditions for algal hydrolysis using dilute sulfuric acid were determined. Neutralized algal hydrolysate was then tested as a reaction medium (replacing the pH buffer solution) for the enzymatic hydrolysis of a lignocellulose, alkali treated anaerobically-digested fiber. Our results showed that net glucose yields from enzymatic hydrolyses containing undiluted algal hydrolysate were at least 65% higher than net glucose yields from control media (bovine serum albumin solution, citrate buffer or distilled water). It is likely that the increase in net glucose yield is due, in part, to the binding of hydrolyzed algal proteins to lignin, which protects cellulase from binding to lignin. This study demonstrates a potential approach of using wastewater-grown algae as a co-substrate to significantly enhance the enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials.

Combination of hot compressed water treatment and wet disk milling for high sugar recovery yield in enzymatic hydrolysis of rice straw

Rice straw has attracted significant interest in Japan as a potential raw material for biorefineries. Combination of hot-compressed water treatment (HCWT) and wet disk milling (WDM) was investigated to improve the enzymatic digestibility of rice straw and enhance sugar recovery yield. Rice straw, cut to <3 mm, was autoclaved at 121, 135, and 150 °C for 60 min, and subsequently treated by wet disk milling. WDM with HCWT at 135 °C for 60 min produced maximum xylose and glucose yields of 79% and 90%, respectively, at 10 FPU/g-substrate cellulase loading. Autoclaving at 150 °C leaked a 35% arabinose effluence in the liquid phase. Hydrolysis via WDM with HCWT required a lower enzyme loading (5 FPU/g-substrate) than either pretreatment process in isolation for >70% xylose and 80% glucose yield. Economical analysis indicate that enzymes cost for ethanol production is reduced by 19-67% by WDM with HCWT.