Engineering › Biomedical Engineering

Biofuel production and bioconversion

Works Count: 125244

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Description

This cluster of papers focuses on the technological aspects of producing biofuels, particularly bioethanol, from lignocellulosic biomass. It covers topics such as pretreatment methods, enzymatic hydrolysis, biorefinery concepts, biomass recalcitrance, and ethanol fermentation. The research aims to address challenges in biofuel production and explore the potential of biomass as a sustainable energy source.

Keywords

Pretreatment; Enzymatic Hydrolysis; Lignocellulosic Biomass; Bioethanol Production; Cellulase Enzymes; Biorefinery Concept; Biomass Recalcitrance; Ethanol Fermentation; Ionic Liquid Pretreatment; Global Bioenergy Potential

A review on alkaline pretreatment technology for bioconversion of lignocellulosic biomass

2015-08-29

Jun Seok Kim , Y.Y. Lee , Tae Hyun Kim

Frontiers in Microbiology

2015-02-18

Helena Nevalainen , Robyn Peterson

Hosts used for the production of recombinant proteins are typically high-protein secreting mutant strains that have been selected for a specific purpose, such as efficient production of cellulose-degrading enzymes. Somewhat … Hosts used for the production of recombinant proteins are typically high-protein secreting mutant strains that have been selected for a specific purpose, such as efficient production of cellulose-degrading enzymes. Somewhat surprisingly, sequencing of the genomes of a series of mutant strains of the cellulolytic Trichoderma reesei, widely used as an expression host for recombinant gene products, has shed very little light on the nature of changes that boost high-level protein secretion. While it is generally agreed and shown that protein secretion in filamentous fungi occurs mainly through the hyphal tip, there is growing evidence that secretion of proteins also takes place in sub-apical regions. Attempts to increase correct folding and thereby the yields of heterologous proteins in fungal hosts by co-expression of cellular chaperones and foldases have resulted in variable success; underlying reasons have been explored mainly at the transcriptional level. The observed physiological changes in fungal strains experiencing increasing stress through protein overexpression under strong gene promoters also reflect the challenge the host organisms are experiencing. It is evident, that as with other eukaryotes, fungal ER is a highly dynamic structure. Considering the above, there is an emerging body of work exploring the use of weaker expression promoters to avoid undue stress. Filamentous fungi have been hailed as candidates for the production of pharmaceutically relevant proteins for therapeutic use. One of the biggest challenges in terms of fungally-produced heterologous gene products is their mode of glycosylation; fungi lack the functionally important terminal sialylation of the glycans that occurs in mammalian cells. Finally, exploration of the metabolic pathways and fluxes together with the development of sophisticated fermentation protocols may result in new strategies to produce recombinant proteins in filamentous fungi.

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Process Design and Economics for Biochemical Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Ethanol: Dilute-Acid Pretreatment and Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Corn Stover

2011-03-01

David Humbird , Ryan Davis , Ling Tao +7 more

This report describes one potential biochemical ethanol conversion process, conceptually based upon core conversion and process integration research at NREL. The overarching process design converts corn stover to ethanol by … This report describes one potential biochemical ethanol conversion process, conceptually based upon core conversion and process integration research at NREL. The overarching process design converts corn stover to ethanol by dilute-acid pretreatment, enzymatic saccharification, and co-fermentation. Building on design reports published in 2002 and 1999, NREL, together with the subcontractor HarrisGroup Inc., performed a complete review of the process design and economic model for the biomass-to-ethanol process. This update reflects NREL's current vision of the biochemical ethanol process and includes the latest research in the conversion areas (pretreatment, conditioning, saccharification, and fermentation), optimizations in product recovery, and our latest understanding of the ethanolplant's back end (wastewater and utilities). The conceptual design presented here reports ethanol production economics as determined by 2012 conversion targets and 'nth-plant' project costs and financing. For the biorefinery described here, processing 2,205 dry ton/day at 76% theoretical ethanol yield (79 gal/dry ton), the ethanol selling price is $2.15/gal in 2007$.

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Microbial and Enzymatic Degradation of Wood and Wood Components

1990-01-01

Karl–Erik L. Eriksson , Robert A. Blanchette , Paul Ander

The biorefinery concept: Using biomass instead of oil for producing energy and chemicals

2010-03-09

Francesco Cherubini

Global potential bioethanol production from wasted crops and crop residues

2003-10-09

Seungdo Kim , Bruce E. Dale

Cellulases and related enzymes in biotechnology

2000-08-01

M. K. Bhat

Pretreatment: the key to unlocking low‐cost cellulosic ethanol

2007-12-17

Bin Yang , Charles E. Wyman

Abstract New transportation fuels are badly needed to reduce our heavy dependence on imported oil and to reduce the release of greenhouse gases that cause global climate change; cellulosic biomass … Abstract New transportation fuels are badly needed to reduce our heavy dependence on imported oil and to reduce the release of greenhouse gases that cause global climate change; cellulosic biomass is the only inexpensive resource that can be used for sustainable production of the large volumes of liquid fuels that our transportation sector has historically favored. Furthermore, biological conversion of cellulosic biomass can take advantage of the power of biotechnology to take huge strides toward making biofuels cost competitive. Ethanol production is particularly well suited to marrying this combination of need, resource, and technology. In fact, major advances have already been realized to competitively position cellulosic ethanol with corn ethanol. However, although biotechnology presents important opportunities to achieve very low costs, pretreatment of naturally resistant cellulosic materials is essential if we are to achieve high yields from biological operations; this operation is projected to be the single, most expensive processing step, representing about 20% of the total cost. In addition, pretreatment has pervasive impacts on all other major operations in the overall conversion scheme from choice of feedstock through to size reduction, hydrolysis, and fermentation, and on to product recovery, residue processing, and co‐product potential. A number of different pretreatments involving biological, chemical, physical, and thermal approaches have been investigated over the years, but only those that employ chemicals currently offer the high yields and low costs vital to economic success. Among the most promising are pretreatments using dilute acid, sulfur dioxide, near‐neutral pH control, ammonia expansion, aqueous ammonia, and lime, with significant differences among the sugar‐release patterns. Although projected costs for these options are similar when applied to corn stover, a key need now is to dramatically improve our knowledge of these systems with the goal of advancing pretreatment to substantially reduce costs and to accelerate commercial applications. © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Energy production from biomass (part 1): overview of biomass

2002-05-01

Peter McKendry

Beneficial Biofuels—The Food, Energy, and Environment Trilemma

2009-07-16

David Tilman , Robert H. Socolow , Jonathan A. Foley +7 more

Exploiting multiple feedstocks, under new policies and accounting rules, to balance biofuel production, food security, and greenhouse-gas reduction. Exploiting multiple feedstocks, under new policies and accounting rules, to balance biofuel production, food security, and greenhouse-gas reduction.

Semimicro determination of cellulose inbiological materials

1969-12-01

David M. Updegraff

Progress in bioethanol processing

2008-01-30

Mustafa Balat , Havva Balat , Cahide Öz

Bioethanol production from agricultural wastes: An overview

2011-07-25

Nibedita Sarkar , Sumanta Ghosh , Satarupa Bannerjee +1 more

Biomass Recalcitrance: Engineering Plants and Enzymes for Biofuels Production

2007-02-08

Michael E. Himmel , Shi-You Ding , David K. Johnson +4 more

Lignocellulosic biomass has long been recognized as a potential sustainable source of mixed sugars for fermentation to biofuels and other biomaterials. Several technologies have been developed during the past 80 … Lignocellulosic biomass has long been recognized as a potential sustainable source of mixed sugars for fermentation to biofuels and other biomaterials. Several technologies have been developed during the past 80 years that allow this conversion process to occur, and the clear objective now is to make this process cost-competitive in today's markets. Here, we consider the natural resistance of plant cell walls to microbial and enzymatic deconstruction, collectively known as "biomass recalcitrance." It is this property of plants that is largely responsible for the high cost of lignocellulose conversion. To achieve sustainable energy production, it will be necessary to overcome the chemical and structural properties that have evolved in biomass to prevent its disassembly.

Ethanol for a Sustainable Energy Future

2007-02-08

José Goldemberg

Renewable energy is one of the most efficient ways to achieve sustainable development. Increasing its share in the world matrix will help prolong the existence of fossil fuel reserves, address … Renewable energy is one of the most efficient ways to achieve sustainable development. Increasing its share in the world matrix will help prolong the existence of fossil fuel reserves, address the threats posed by climate change, and enable better security of the energy supply on a global scale. Most of the "new renewable energy sources" are still undergoing large-scale commercial development, but some technologies are already well established. These include Brazilian sugarcane ethanol, which, after 30 years of production, is a global energy commodity that is fully competitive with motor gasoline and appropriate for replication in many countries.

Hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials for ethanol production: a review

2002-05-01

Ye Sun , Jay J. Cheng

Trends in biotechnological production of fuel ethanol from different feedstocks

2008-01-07

Óscar J. Sánchez , Carlos Ariel Cardona Álzate

Biomass pretreatment: Fundamentals toward application

2011-05-24

Valery Agbor , Nazim Çiçek , Richard Sparling +2 more

Inhibition of ethanol-producing yeast and bacteria by degradation products produced during pre-treatment of biomass

2004-08-05

Helene B. Klinke , Anne Belinda Thomsen , Birgitte K. Ahring

Pretreatment technologies for an efficient bioethanol production process based on enzymatic hydrolysis: A review

2009-12-30

Pablo Alvira , Elia Tomás‐Pejó , Mercedes Ballesteros +1 more

Hemicelluloses for fuel ethanol: A review

2010-02-22

Francisco Gı́rio , César Fonseca , Florbela Carvalheiro +3 more

Ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass: techno-economic performance in short-, middle- and long-term

2004-12-24

Carlo Hamelinck , Geertje van Hooijdonk , André Faaij

Recent trends in global production and utilization of bio-ethanol fuel

2009-04-13

Mustafa Balat , Havva Balat

Trends in bioconversion of lignocellulose: Biofuels, platform chemicals & biorefinery concept

2012-03-17

Vishnu Menon , Mala Rao

Production of bioethanol from lignocellulosic materials via the biochemical pathway: A review

2010-09-07

Mustafa Balat

Fermentation of lignocellulosic hydrolysates. II: inhibitors and mechanisms of inhibition

2000-08-01

Eva Palmqvist , Bärbel Hahn‐Hägerdal

dbCAN: a web resource for automated carbohydrate-active enzyme annotation

2012-05-29

Yanbin Yin , Xizeng Mao , Jincai Yang +3 more

Carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) are very important to the biotech industry, particularly the emerging biofuel industry because CAZymes are responsible for the synthesis, degradation and modification of all the carbohydrates on … Carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) are very important to the biotech industry, particularly the emerging biofuel industry because CAZymes are responsible for the synthesis, degradation and modification of all the carbohydrates on Earth. We have developed a web resource, dbCAN (http://csbl.bmb.uga.edu/dbCAN/annotate.php), to provide a capability for automated CAZyme signature domain-based annotation for any given protein data set (e.g. proteins from a newly sequenced genome) submitted to our server. To accomplish this, we have explicitly defined a signature domain for every CAZyme family, derived based on the CDD (conserved domain database) search and literature curation. We have also constructed a hidden Markov model to represent the signature domain of each CAZyme family. These CAZyme family-specific HMMs are our key contribution and the foundation for the automated CAZyme annotation.

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The Path Forward for Biofuels and Biomaterials

2006-01-26

Arthur J. Ragauskas , Charlotte K. Williams , Brian H. Davison +7 more

Biomass represents an abundant carbon-neutral renewable resource for the production of bioenergy and biomaterials, and its enhanced use would address several societal needs. Advances in genetics, biotechnology, process chemistry, and … Biomass represents an abundant carbon-neutral renewable resource for the production of bioenergy and biomaterials, and its enhanced use would address several societal needs. Advances in genetics, biotechnology, process chemistry, and engineering are leading to a new manufacturing concept for converting renewable biomass to valuable fuels and products, generally referred to as the biorefinery. The integration of agroenergy crops and biorefinery manufacturing technologies offers the potential for the development of sustainable biopower and biomaterials that will lead to a new manufacturing paradigm.

Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Wastes to Improve Ethanol and Biogas Production: A Review

2008-09-01

Mohammad J. Taherzadeh , Keikhosro Karimi

Lignocelluloses are often a major or sometimes the sole components of different waste streams from various industries, forestry, agriculture and municipalities. Hydrolysis of these materials is the first step for … Lignocelluloses are often a major or sometimes the sole components of different waste streams from various industries, forestry, agriculture and municipalities. Hydrolysis of these materials is the first step for either digestion to biogas (methane) or fermentation to ethanol. However, enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocelluloses with no pretreatment is usually not so effective because of high stability of the materials to enzymatic or bacterial attacks. The present work is dedicated to reviewing the methods that have been studied for pretreatment of lignocellulosic wastes for conversion to ethanol or biogas. Effective parameters in pretreatment of lignocelluloses, such as crystallinity, accessible surface area, and protection by lignin and hemicellulose are described first. Then, several pretreatment methods are discussed and their effects on improvement in ethanol and/or biogas production are described. They include milling, irradiation, microwave, steam explosion, ammonia fiber explosion (AFEX), supercritical CO(2) and its explosion, alkaline hydrolysis, liquid hot-water pretreatment, organosolv processes, wet oxidation, ozonolysis, dilute-and concentrated-acid hydrolyses, and biological pretreatments.

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Hydrogen production by biological processes: a survey of literature

2001-01-01

Debabrata Das

Features of promising technologies for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass

2004-09-30

Nathan S. Mosier , Charles E. Wyman , Bruce E. Dale +4 more

Interlaboratory testing of methods for assay of xylanase activity

1992-05-01

Michael Bailey , Peter Biely , Kaisa Poutanen

Ethanol fermentation from biomass resources: current state and prospects

2005-12-05

Lin Yan , Shuzo Tanaka

Methods for Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass for Efficient Hydrolysis and Biofuel Production

2009-03-20

Parveen Kumar , Diane M. Barrett , Michael J. Delwiche +1 more

Biofuels produced from various lignocellulosic materials, such as wood, agricultural, or forest residues, have the potential to be a valuable substitute for, or complement to, gasoline. Many physicochemical structural and … Biofuels produced from various lignocellulosic materials, such as wood, agricultural, or forest residues, have the potential to be a valuable substitute for, or complement to, gasoline. Many physicochemical structural and compositional factors hinder the hydrolysis of cellulose present in biomass to sugars and other organic compounds that can later be converted to fuels. The goal of pretreatment is to make the cellulose accessible to hydrolysis for conversion to fuels. Various pretreatment techniques change the physical and chemical structure of the lignocellulosic biomass and improve hydrolysis rates. During the past few years a large number of pretreatment methods have been developed, including alkali treatment, ammonia explosion, and others. Many methods have been shown to result in high sugar yields, above 90% of the theoretical yield for lignocellulosic biomasses such as woods, grasses, corn, and so on. In this review, we discuss the various pretreatment process methods and the recent literature that has reported on the use of these technologies for pretreatment of various lignocellulosic biomasses.

Consolidated bioprocessing of cellulosic biomass: an update

2005-09-09

Lee R. Lynd , Willem H. van Zyl , John E. McBride +1 more

Bio-ethanol – the fuel of tomorrow from the residues of today

2006-10-18

Bärbel Hahn‐Hägerdal , Mats Galbe , Marie F. Gorwa‐Grauslund +2 more

Land Clearing and the Biofuel Carbon Debt

2008-02-08

Joseph Fargione , Jason Hill , David Tilman +2 more

Increasing energy use, climate change, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels make switching to low-carbon fuels a high priority. Biofuels are a potential low-carbon energy source, but whether … Increasing energy use, climate change, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels make switching to low-carbon fuels a high priority. Biofuels are a potential low-carbon energy source, but whether biofuels offer carbon savings depends on how they are produced. Converting rainforests, peatlands, savannas, or grasslands to produce food crop-based biofuels in Brazil, Southeast Asia, and the United States creates a "biofuel carbon debt" by releasing 17 to 420 times more CO2 than the annual greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions that these biofuels would provide by displacing fossil fuels. In contrast, biofuels made from waste biomass or from biomass grown on degraded and abandoned agricultural lands planted with perennials incur little or no carbon debt and can offer immediate and sustained GHG advantages.

Toward an aggregated understanding of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose: Noncomplexed cellulase systems

2004-11-10

Y.‐H. Percival Zhang , Lee R. Lynd

Abstract Information pertaining to enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose by noncomplexed cellulase enzyme systems is reviewed with a particular emphasis on development of aggregated understanding incorporating substrate features in addition to … Abstract Information pertaining to enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose by noncomplexed cellulase enzyme systems is reviewed with a particular emphasis on development of aggregated understanding incorporating substrate features in addition to concentration and multiple cellulase components. Topics considered include properties of cellulose, adsorption, cellulose hydrolysis, and quantitative models. A classification scheme is proposed for quantitative models for enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose based on the number of solubilizing activities and substrate state variables included. We suggest that it is timely to revisit and reinvigorate functional modeling of cellulose hydrolysis, and that this would be highly beneficial if not necessary in order to bring to bear the large volume of information available on cellulase components on the primary applications that motivate interest in the subject. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Measurement of cellulase activities

1987-01-01

T. K. Ghose

Abstract Abstract

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Pretreatment of lignocellulose: Formation of inhibitory by-products and strategies for minimizing their effects

2015-10-21

Leif J. Jönsson , Carlos Martı́n

Biochemical conversion of lignocellulosic feedstocks to advanced biofuels and other commodities through a sugar-platform process involves a pretreatment step enhancing the susceptibility of the cellulose to enzymatic hydrolysis. A side … Biochemical conversion of lignocellulosic feedstocks to advanced biofuels and other commodities through a sugar-platform process involves a pretreatment step enhancing the susceptibility of the cellulose to enzymatic hydrolysis. A side effect of pretreatment is formation of lignocellulose-derived by-products that inhibit microbial and enzymatic biocatalysts. This review provides an overview of the formation of inhibitory by-products from lignocellulosic feedstocks as a consequence of using different pretreatment methods and feedstocks as well as an overview of different strategies used to alleviate problems with inhibitors. As technologies for biorefining of lignocellulose become mature and are transferred from laboratory environments to industrial contexts, the importance of management of inhibition problems is envisaged to increase as issues that become increasingly relevant will include the possibility to use recalcitrant feedstocks, obtaining high product yields and high productivity, minimizing the charges of enzymes and microorganisms, and using high solids loadings to obtain high product titers.

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An overview of second generation biofuel technologies

2009-12-06

Ralph Sims , Warren Mabee , J. N. Saddler +1 more

Xylanases, xylanase families and extremophilic xylanases

2004-07-22

Tony Collins , Charles Gerday , Georges Feller

Xylanases are hydrolytic enzymes which randomly cleave the β 1,4 backbone of the complex plant cell wall polysaccharide xylan. Diverse forms of these enzymes exist, displaying varying folds, mechanisms of … Xylanases are hydrolytic enzymes which randomly cleave the β 1,4 backbone of the complex plant cell wall polysaccharide xylan. Diverse forms of these enzymes exist, displaying varying folds, mechanisms of action, substrate specificities, hydrolytic activities (yields, rates and products) and physicochemical characteristics. Research has mainly focused on only two of the xylanase containing glycoside hydrolase families, namely families 10 and 11, yet enzymes with xylanase activity belonging to families 5, 7, 8 and 43 have also been identified and studied, albeit to a lesser extent. Driven by industrial demands for enzymes that can operate under process conditions, a number of extremophilic xylanases have been isolated, in particular those from thermophiles, alkaliphiles and acidiphiles, while little attention has been paid to cold-adapted xylanases. Here, the diverse physicochemical and functional characteristics, as well as the folds and mechanisms of action of all six xylanase containing families will be discussed. The adaptation strategies of the extremophilic xylanases isolated to date and the potential industrial applications of these enzymes will also be presented.

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Pretreatments to enhance the digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass

2008-07-03

Alexander Hendriks , G. Zeeman

Production of liquid biofuels from renewable resources

2010-05-05

Poonam Singh Nee Nigam , Anoop Singh

Environmental, economic, and energetic costs and benefits of biodiesel and ethanol biofuels

2006-07-13

Jason Hill , Erik Nelson , David Tilman +2 more

Negative environmental consequences of fossil fuels and concerns about petroleum supplies have spurred the search for renewable transportation biofuels. To be a viable alternative, a biofuel should provide a net … Negative environmental consequences of fossil fuels and concerns about petroleum supplies have spurred the search for renewable transportation biofuels. To be a viable alternative, a biofuel should provide a net energy gain, have environmental benefits, be economically competitive, and be producible in large quantities without reducing food supplies. We use these criteria to evaluate, through life-cycle accounting, ethanol from corn grain and biodiesel from soybeans. Ethanol yields 25% more energy than the energy invested in its production, whereas biodiesel yields 93% more. Compared with ethanol, biodiesel releases just 1.0%, 8.3%, and 13% of the agricultural nitrogen, phosphorus, and pesticide pollutants, respectively, per net energy gain. Relative to the fossil fuels they displace, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced 12% by the production and combustion of ethanol and 41% by biodiesel. Biodiesel also releases less air pollutants per net energy gain than ethanol. These advantages of biodiesel over ethanol come from lower agricultural inputs and more efficient conversion of feedstocks to fuel. Neither biofuel can replace much petroleum without impacting food supplies. Even dedicating all U.S. corn and soybean production to biofuels would meet only 12% of gasoline demand and 6% of diesel demand. Until recent increases in petroleum prices, high production costs made biofuels unprofitable without subsidies. Biodiesel provides sufficient environmental advantages to merit subsidy. Transportation biofuels such as synfuel hydrocarbons or cellulosic ethanol, if produced from low-input biomass grown on agriculturally marginal land or from waste biomass, could provide much greater supplies and environmental benefits than food-based biofuels.

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Coordinated development of leading biomass pretreatment technologies

2005-03-01

Charles E. Wyman , Bruce E. Dale , Richard T. Elander +3 more

Deconstruction of lignocellulosic biomass with ionic liquids

2012-12-19

Agnieszka Brandt , John Gräsvik , Jason P. Hallett +1 more

This paper reviews the application of ionic liquids to the deconstruction and fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass, in a process step that is commonly called pretreatment. It is divided into four … This paper reviews the application of ionic liquids to the deconstruction and fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass, in a process step that is commonly called pretreatment. It is divided into four parts: the first gives background information on lignocellulosic biomass and ionic liquids; the second focuses on the solubility of lignocellulosic biomass (and the individual biopolymers within it) in ionic liquids; the third emphasises the deconstruction effects brought about by the use of ionic liquids as a solvent; the fourth part deals with practical considerations regarding the design of ionic liquid based deconstruction processes.

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Hemicellulose bioconversion

2003-05-01

Badal C. Saha

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Universidad de Oviedo. Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas: FCO-Briof

2022-01-01

Miguel Antonio Fernández Márquez

Colección de briófitos con más de 11000 registros (1126 especies) y con especial representación de la Reserva Natural Integral de Muniellos (Asturias). Toda la colección está conectada en red. Colección de briófitos con más de 11000 registros (1126 especies) y con especial representación de la Reserva Natural Integral de Muniellos (Asturias). Toda la colección está conectada en red.

Study of Bioethanol Accumulation in Dairy Whey Using Immobilized Yeast Cells

2025-06-25

Akmeiir E. Kaliyeva , Akmaral Baspakova , Saulesh S. Kurmangaliyeva | Journal of Environmental Treatment Techniques

Dairy whey, that is a byproduct from cheese production, is not only an environmental challenge, but also an energy renewable enabler. This study investigates the accumulation of bioethanol in dairy … Dairy whey, that is a byproduct from cheese production, is not only an environmental challenge, but also an energy renewable enabler. This study investigates the accumulation of bioethanol in dairy whey using immobilized yeast cells. The aim was to test the ethanol production by the immobilized yeast cultures onto different sorbents. Yeast strains Saccharomyces cerevisiae AI1, Kluyveromyces marxianus AC1, and Rhodotorula lactose SR were employed singly and in co-cultures and immobilized onto sodium alginate, polyvinyl alcohol, and carrageenan matrices. Sodium alginateentrapped yeast cells lost their ethanol-accumulating power whereas polyvinyl alcoholand carrageenan-immobilized yeast cells exhibited good bioethanol productivity. The highest ethanol yields were attained from S. cerevisiae AI1 were 2.55% and 2.42% after 48 hours, while K. marxianus AC1 produced 2.25% and 2.62% under the same conditions. These results demonstrate that immobilized yeast cell technology offers a promising approach for sustainable bioethanol production from dairy industry.

Hydrothermal Pretreatment Unlocks Waste Paper’s Sugar Potential: Enhanced Enzymatic Saccharification via Lignin Removal and Cellulose Decrystallization

2025-06-24

Hongzhi Ma , Pin Lv , Jian Yang +5 more | Processes

Waste paper, with its high cellulose and hemicellulose content, represents a promising bioresource for producing fermentable sugars in biorefining processes. In this study, five types of waste paper were analyzed … Waste paper, with its high cellulose and hemicellulose content, represents a promising bioresource for producing fermentable sugars in biorefining processes. In this study, five types of waste paper were analyzed for cellulose content, and tissue paper (TP), exhibiting the highest cellulose content, was selected for hydrothermal pretreatment. Optimal pretreatment conditions were determined through single-factor experiments: 160 °C, water as the solvent, and a retention time of 50 min, corresponding to a severity factor (SF) of 3.47. Under these conditions, the reducing sugar yield from pretreated TP reached 0.61 g sugar/g paper, a 38.64% increase compared to untreated TP. The enhancement was attributed to lignin solubilization, disruption of crystalline cellulose regions, and increased specific surface area. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of hydrothermal pretreatment in improving the enzymatic digestibility of waste paper for biorefining applications.

Impact of Acidic Pretreatment on Biomethane Yield from Xyris capensis: Experimental and In-Depth Data-Driven Insight

2025-06-24

Kehinde O. Olatunji , Oluwatobi Adeleke , Tien‐Chien Jen +1 more | Processes

This study presents an experimental and comprehensive data-driven framework to gain deeper insights into the effect of acidic pretreatment in enhancing the biomethane yield of Xyris capensis. The experimental workflow … This study presents an experimental and comprehensive data-driven framework to gain deeper insights into the effect of acidic pretreatment in enhancing the biomethane yield of Xyris capensis. The experimental workflow involves subjecting the Xyris capensis to different concentrations of HCl, exposure times, and digestion retention time in mesophilic anaerobic conditions. Key insights were gained from the experimental dataset through correlation mapping, feature importance assessment (FIA) using the Gini importance (GI) metric of the decision tree regressor, dimensionality reduction using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and operational cluster analysis using k-means clustering. Furthermore, different clustering techniques were tested with an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) tuned with particle swarm optimization (ANFIS-PSO) for biomethane yield prediction. The experimental results showed that HCl pretreatment increased the biomethane yield by 62–150% compared to the untreated substrate. The correlation analysis and FIA further revealed exposure time and acid concentration as the dominant variables driving biomethane production, with GI values of 0.5788 and 0.3771, respectively. The PCA reduced the complexity of the digestion parameters by capturing over 80% of the variance in the principal components. Three distinct operational clusters, which are influenced by the pretreatment condition and digestion set-up, were identified by the k-means cluster analysis. In testing, a Gaussian-based Grid-Partitioning (GP)-clustered ANFIS-PSO model outperformed others with RMSE, MAE, and MAPE values of 5.3783, 3.1584, and 10.126, respectively. This study provides a robust framework of experimental and computational data-driven methods for optimizing the biomethane production, thus contributing significantly to sustainable and eco-friendly energy alternatives.

Sustainable ethanol production: CO2 emission analysis and feedstock strategies through life cycle assessment

2025-06-24

Vijay Kumar , Ashish Sinha | Energy Sustainable Development/Energy for sustainable development

Pemanfaatan Eco-enzyme Sebagai Inovasi Pengendalian Mikrobiologis Udara Dalam Ruang

2025-06-24

Zaenab Zaenab , Nurfitriani Azizah | Media Kesehatan Politeknik Kesehatan Makassar

Udara dalam ruang yang tercemar oleh mikroorganisme seperti bakteri dapat menyebabkan masalah kesehatan, terutama infeksi saluran pernapasan. Pemanfaatan eco-enzyme sebagai disinfektan alami menjadi alternatif ramah lingkungan untuk mengendalikan angka kuman … Udara dalam ruang yang tercemar oleh mikroorganisme seperti bakteri dapat menyebabkan masalah kesehatan, terutama infeksi saluran pernapasan. Pemanfaatan eco-enzyme sebagai disinfektan alami menjadi alternatif ramah lingkungan untuk mengendalikan angka kuman udara. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui efektivitas eco-enzyme dengan konsentrasi 15%, 20%, dan 25% dalam menurunkan angka kuman udara dalam ruang. Metode penelitian menggunakan Quasi Eksperimen dengan desain Pre-Post Test Control Group. Sampel diambil dari tiga ruang kelas di SMA Negeri 12 Makassar menggunakan metode random sampling. Konsentrasi eco-enzyme yang diuji adalah 15%, 20%, dan 25%, dengan waktu kontak selama 1 jam. Data dianalisis menggunakan uji One-Way ANOVA. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan penurunan angka kuman udara signifikan pada semua konsentrasi: 15% menurunkan sebesar 14%, 20% sebesar 24%, dan 25% sebesar 76%. Sementara kelompok kontrol mengalami peningkatan angka kuman sebesar 27%. Analisis statistik menunjukkan perbedaan yang signifikan, dengan konsentrasi 25% sebagai yang paling optimal (p value 0,0001 < 0,05). Eco-enzyme konsentrasi 25% terbukti efektif menurunkan angka kuman udara dan berpotensi sebagai disinfektan alami ramah lingkungan.Penelitian ini memiliki keterbatasan, seperti penggunaan metode aplikasi sederhana (sprayer manual) dan jumlah sampel yang terbatas, sehingga disarankan penelitian lanjutan dengan metode dry mist dan cakupan sampel yang lebih luas. Kata Kunci : Eco-enzyme; Disinfektan Alami; Angka Kuman Udara; Udara Dalam Ruang

Production, purification, and characterization of a thermally stable, Acidophilic Cellulase from Aspergillus awamori AFE1 isolated from Longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae latreille)

2025-06-24

Ayoola Ebenezer Afe , Olusola Tosin Lawal , Olufemi S. Bamidele +7 more | Microbial Cell Factories

The relentless pursuit of cost-effective cellulase, a key enzyme in the biocatalytic conversion of cellulose, has led to exploring insect guts as potential sources of biocatalysts. Herbivorous insects' intestinal tracts … The relentless pursuit of cost-effective cellulase, a key enzyme in the biocatalytic conversion of cellulose, has led to exploring insect guts as potential sources of biocatalysts. Herbivorous insects' intestinal tracts are recognized as rich reservoirs of cellulolytic microorganisms. This study investigates cellulase production, purification, and characterization from Aspergillus awamori AFE1, isolated from the gut of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae latreille). Basic cellulase production parameters were optimized. The cellulase produced under optimum conditions was purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation and chromatographic methods, followed by characterization of the purified enzyme. Optimum cellulase production was observed at pH 5 and 30 °C, using cellulose and NaNO3 as carbon and nitrogen sources. Cellulase was purified to homogeneity, with a molecular weight of 48.5 kDa. The cellulase exhibited optimal activity at pH 5.0 and maintained stability at an acidic pH of 4.0, showing 80% activity after 2 h and 40% activity remaining after 6 h. The optimal temperature for cellulase activity was 60 °C, with maximal stability at 30 °C, retaining 63% of its initial activity after 2 h. However, significant activity of 50% was noted at 50 °C for 2 h. Interestingly, the enzyme showed great stability against organic solvents up to 4 h and retained significant enzymatic activity after 5 h. Cellulase activity was also enhanced by divalent metal ions, Fe2+ and Zn2+, but was markedly inhibited by urea and EDTA, and monovalent Na+, K+, including some divalent metal ions, Cu2+ and Mn2+. It displayed Km and Vmax values of 3.86 mM and 0.3159 mg/mL/min, respectively. This study has shown Aspergillus awamori AFE1, isolated from the Longhorn beetle gut, as a unique source of acid-stable, thermostable, and organic solvent-resistant cellulase with industrial potential. Its unique enzymatic properties offer promising applications in biofuel production and lignocellulosic biomass conversion.

Hydrolysis Assessment of Orange Peel and Brewer’s Spent Grain for Bioethanol Production

2025-06-23

J. Gálvez , Edson E. Armenta , José R. Ayala +3 more | Processes

Bioethanol is a promising alternative to fossil fuels. This study evaluated bioethanol production from orange peel (OP) and brewer’s spent grain (BSG) through acid hydrolysis, followed by fermentation with Saccharomyces … Bioethanol is a promising alternative to fossil fuels. This study evaluated bioethanol production from orange peel (OP) and brewer’s spent grain (BSG) through acid hydrolysis, followed by fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A factorial design was applied to assess the influence of temperature, acid concentration, and time on sugar release. Hydrolysis of OP at 125 °C with 0.5% H2SO4 yielded 52.14 g/L of glucose and 15.70 g/L of xylose. For BSG, the best results were obtained with 2.5% H2SO4 at 160 °C, producing 27.10 g/L of glucose and 14.22 g/L of xylose. Fermentation at 30 °C achieved 5.25% v/v bioethanol in OP and 1.5% v/v in BSG, representing 41.4 g/L and 11.8 g/L of bioethanol, respectively. The kinetic models showed high predictive accuracy (R2 > 0.98). These findings demonstrate the potential of OP and BSG as viable substrates for bioethanol production under mild processing conditions.

Optimization of cultivation conditions for Lactobacillus acidophilus to produce lactic acid through molasses fermentation

2025-06-23

A. P. Nepomniashchii , Ilya Zubkov , П. Н. Сорокоумов +1 more | Proceedings of universities Applied chemistry and biotechnology

Role of Inoculum Source in Bio-Methane Production From Tea Waste and Fish Residues Using Methanogenesis Anaerobic Co-Digestion Process

2025-06-23

Muhammad Rashed Al Mamun , Sharmistha Dey , Jinat Jahan +1 more | American Journal of Agricultural Science Engineering and Technology

Fish residues and tea waste, which are often regarded as environmental pollutants due to their unsanitary nature, can be repurposed as effective biocatalysts to improve biogas production. This research explored … Fish residues and tea waste, which are often regarded as environmental pollutants due to their unsanitary nature, can be repurposed as effective biocatalysts to improve biogas production. This research explored the anaerobic co-digestion of fish residues (FR) and tea waste (TW) with cow dung (CD) under mesophilic conditions to enhance biogas yield. Substrates were combined with water in a 1:1 ratio, and biogas production was measured using the volumetric water displacement method. The findings revealed a significant improvement in biogas production rates through co-digestion. The highest biogas yields were observed at different substrate ratios: 190.25 mL/day on day 9 for FR:CD (1.5:1), 45.13 mL/day on day 23 for FR:TW:CD (1:1:0.5), 72.1 mL/day on day 21 for FR:TW:CD (1:1:1), and 35.18 mL/day on day 21 for TW:CD (1.5:1). In a subsequent phase, biogas production increased further, with maximum yields of 289.56 mL/day on day 10 for FR:CD (1.5:1), 246.95 mL/day on day 9 for FR:TW:CD (1:1:1), 205.67 mL/day on day 9 for FR:TW:CD (1:1:0.5), and 150 mL/day on day 14 for TW:CD (1.5:1). These results demonstrate the potential of co-digestion to optimize biogas production within a 40-day hydraulic retention time, providing a sustainable solution for energy generation and waste management while reducing environmental pollution.

Multi-dimensional maize biomass utilization: Mitigating existing agro-waste by meaningful value addition

2025-06-23

Gurkanwal Kaur , Prabhpreet Kaur , Jomika Devi +4 more | Journal of Environmental Management

Valorization of fruit and starch wastes via anaerobic acidification for the sustainable production of bio-products

2025-06-23

Andriy Anta Kacaribu , Yuliani Aisyah , Febriani Febriani +2 more | Journal of Ecological Engineering

Characterization of cellulase by <i>Cellvibrio polysaccharolyticus</i> and assessment of its application in the textile industry

2025-06-23

Kerem Kizmaz , Zuhal Emire , Serpil Uğraş | Journal of the Textile Institute

Review of enzyme catalysis in sustainable biofuel production: A comparative study of waste oils and alternative feedstocks

2025-06-22

Jintao Hu , Noor Dina Muhd Noor , Nor Hafizah Ahmad Kamarudin +1 more | International Journal of Green Energy

Carboxymethyl cellulose biodegradation by activated sludge microbial communities

2025-06-21

Ashley Wilcox , Maura J. Hall , Jennifer Menzies +7 more | The Science of The Total Environment

The biodegradability of water-soluble carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) polymer, degree of substitution of 0.65, was evaluated in screening and simulation assays using activated sludge as the inoculum. In an OECD 301B, … The biodegradability of water-soluble carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) polymer, degree of substitution of 0.65, was evaluated in screening and simulation assays using activated sludge as the inoculum. In an OECD 301B, CMC 0.65 was slowly biodegraded, reaching 46.7 % and 41.0 % mineralization per replicate on day 28 and 63.7 % and 55.2 % mineralization per replicate on day 70. In a modified screening study, following dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal as the analytical endpoint which provides an indication for biodegradation, an increase in rate and extent was observed with DOC removal reaching 82 ± 1 % after only 28 d. CMC 0.65 was radiolabeled with tritium (3H-CMC 0.65) and the mineralization potential was quantified in an OECD 301B study reaching 72.2 % and 65.5 % 3H2O generation per replicate by day 70. In three different OECD 314B activated sludge simulation studies, 3H-CMC 0.65 biodegraded rapidly reaching >60 % in 6 h with ultimate biodegradation rates ranging from 0.8 to 1.6 h-1. Gel permeation chromatography coupled with solid state scintillation counting of extracted sludge solids showed an immediate (10 min) shift from the starting 3H-CMC 0.65 polymer toward lower MW oligomers with a primary polymer biodegradation rate of 5.0 h-1. This study quantified the significant impact of test design on biodegradation rate and extent and highlights the need to improve environmental realism in laboratory assays for more accurate assessments of polymer biodegradation if negative or inconclusive results are obtained in screening studies or if accurate predictions of biodegradation rates are needed.

Native and tailor-made microbial cell factories for economic production of bio-renewables: A paradigm shift in industrial biotechnology

2025-06-21

Thais S. Milessi , Cristiano E. Rodrigues Reis , Márcio Daniel Nicodemos Ramos +3 more | Biomass and Bioenergy

PELATIHAN PEMBUATAN GULA SEMUT BERBAHAN BAKAR BIOGAS SEBAGAI UPAYA PENGOPTIMALAN PEMANFAATAN SUMBER DAYA PEDESAAN

2025-06-21

Sri Ismiyati Damayanti , Otik Nawansih , Simparmin Br Ginting +5 more | Nemui Nyimah

Kegiatan pengabdian bertujuan memperkenalkan dan memberi keterampilan kepada masyarakat terkait produksi gula semut dari nira kelapa berbahan bakar biogas. Target khususnya, masyarakat mampu memasang dan mengoperasikan instalasi kompor biogas industri … Kegiatan pengabdian bertujuan memperkenalkan dan memberi keterampilan kepada masyarakat terkait produksi gula semut dari nira kelapa berbahan bakar biogas. Target khususnya, masyarakat mampu memasang dan mengoperasikan instalasi kompor biogas industri kecil, serta memiliki keterampilan membuat gula semut dari nira kelapa berbahan bakar biogas. Hal lain yang juga diharapkan adalah berkurangnya jumlah nira yang digunakan untuk produksi tuak karena harga beli nira untuk produksi gula semut akan kompetitif akibat penggunaan biogas “gratis”. Metode yang digunakan adalah : (1) Sosialisasi rencana kegiatan, (2) Pelatihan pemasangan dan pengoperasian instalasi kompor biogas industri kecil, (3) Sosialisasi materi pembuatan gula semut dari nira kelapa mulai dari pemanenan nira hingga pengemasan gula semut yang sesuai standar, (4). Pelatihan dan pendampingan pembuatan gula semut dari nira kelapa serta penyimpanan dan pengemasannya, (5). Evaluasi kegiatan bersama masyarakat. Sasaran kegiatan adalah masyarakat yang mempunyai digester biogas, petani nira kelapa, dan Ibu-Ibu KWT. Lokasi kegiatan di Desa Kediri, Kecamatan Gadingrejo, Pringsewu, Lampung. Peran mitra pengabdian adalah menyiapkan bahan baku nira, menyiapkan stok biogas pada kapasitas maksimal, dan menyediakan tenaga dan konsumsi saat kegiatan. Seluruh kegiatan pengabdian berlangsung lancar. Masyarakat antusias mengikuti kegiatan. Sinergi yang baik juga terjalin antara tim dosen, mahasiswa, dan warga dari mulai persiapan, uji coba, hingga sosialisasi dan pelatihan pembuatan gula semut. Luaran pengabdian telah tercapai yaitu : (1). iptek yang didiseminasikan dapat dikenal, dipahami, dan masyarakat mempunyai keterampilan terkait iptek tersebut, (2). tersedianya 2 unit instalasi kompor biogas industri kecil, (3). Satu buah video kegiatan yang diupload di Youtube, (4). Satu buah poster kegiatan.

Bioconversion of lignocellulose in ensiled Caragana korshinskii Kom. into bioethanol by ferulic acid esterase-producing Limosilactobacillus reuteri A4-2 and Acremonium cellulase

2025-06-21

Yixin Zhang , Michael Kreuzer , Samaila Usman +6 more | Industrial Crops and Products

Cellulase secretion by engineered Pseudomonas putida enables growth on cellulose oligomers.

2025-06-20

Madeline R. Smith , Kaylee Moffitt , William L. Holdsworth +5 more | bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Pseudomonas putida is an attractive synthetic biology platform organism for chemical synthesis from low-grade feedstocks due to its high tolerance to chemical solvents and lignin-derived small molecules that are often … Pseudomonas putida is an attractive synthetic biology platform organism for chemical synthesis from low-grade feedstocks due to its high tolerance to chemical solvents and lignin-derived small molecules that are often inhibitory to other biotechnologically relevant microorganisms. However, there are few molecular tools available for engineering P. putida and other gram-negative bacteria to secrete non-native enzymes for extracellular feedstock depolymerisation. In this study P. putida was transformed to secrete cellulase enzymes and evaluated for growth on polymeric or oligomeric cellulose substrates. Active exo- and endocellulase enzymes were secreted into the culture supernatant, and a preferred set of twin-arginine translocase secretion signal peptides were identified. Extracellular cellulase activity was sufficient to support growth of P. putida using cellotriose or cellotetraose as the sole source of carbon and energy. This work supports progress towards consolidated bioprocessing of cellulosic materials using P. putida, and advances the state of engineered protein secretion in gram negative bacteria.

Harnessing the power of Bacillus subtilis MR42: direct production of defined xylooligosaccharides (XOS) from corn stalks with enhanced prebiotic properties

2025-06-20

Lusha Wei , Shuo Sun , Chen Yuan +3 more | Microbial Cell Factories

The production of value-added bioproducts from renewable carbon sources has gained increasing attention in recent years. The aim of this study was to develop economical approaches for the production of … The production of value-added bioproducts from renewable carbon sources has gained increasing attention in recent years. The aim of this study was to develop economical approaches for the production of prebiotic XOS with defined degree of polymerization (DP) by Bacillus subtilis MR42 from corn stalks. The MR42 strain has been genetically modified to delete the xynC gene, which enables it to convert xylan into specific XOS without generating xylose as a byproduct. Under optimal conditions, a high yield of XOS (703.4 mg/g xylan) was obtained. The purified XOS were further characterized using various techniques including TLC, HPLC, ESI-MS and 1HNMR spectroscopy. The analysis revealed that the XOS primarily consisted of xylotriose (257 ± 0.14 mg/g XOS), xylotetraose (267 ± 0.24 mg/g XOS) and xylopentaose (289 ± 0.29 mg/g XOS), accounting for 81.3% of the total XOS. The prebiotic effect of XOS was evaluated by examining its impact on the growth of Lactobacillus, the production of short-chain fatty acids, and its antioxidant activity. B. subtilis MR42 showed a promising ability to produce XOS of DP 3-5, without the generation of xylose.

Overcoming limitations of second-generation bioethanol production process through advancements in strain development

2025-06-19

Zaheer Ud Din Sheikh , Anita Singh , Arti Devi +4 more | Environmental Science and Pollution Research

Degradation of beechwood xylan using food-grade bacteria-like particles displaying β-xylosidase from Limosilactobacillus fermentum

2025-06-19

Robie Vasquez , Ji Hoon Song , Jae Seung Lee +4 more | Bioresources and Bioprocessing

Abstract The display of enzymes on bacterial surfaces is an interesting approach for immobilising industrially important biocatalysts. In recent years, non-recombinant surface display using food-grade bacteria, such as lactic acid … Abstract The display of enzymes on bacterial surfaces is an interesting approach for immobilising industrially important biocatalysts. In recent years, non-recombinant surface display using food-grade bacteria, such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB), have gained interest because of their safety, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness. β-Xylosidase is one of the many biocatalytic enzymes targeted for immobilisation due to its key role in the complete saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass, including xylan hemicellulose. Recently, the xylose-tolerant β-xylosidase, LfXyl43, was identified in Limosilactobacillus fermentum. LfXyl43 is capable of producing xylose from the degradation of xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) and beechwood xylan. This study aimed to immobilise this new biocatalyst on the surface of LAB-derived bacteria-like particles (BLP) and investigate its applicability and reusability in the degradation of xylan hemicellulose. Additionally, the influence of the anchor position and the presence of linker peptides on the display and activity of the β-xylosidase was investigated. Four expression vectors were constructed to express different anchor-xylosidase fusion proteins. Upon expression and purification, all anchor-xylosidase fusion proteins were active towards the artificial substrate p -nitrophenyl-β-D-xylopyranoside. In addition, all anchor-xylosidase fusion proteins were successfully displayed on the surface of BLP. However, only the β-xylosidases with linker peptide showed hydrolytic activity after immobilisation on BLP. BLP displaying β-xylosidases demonstrated high activity against XOS and beechwood xylan, thereby producing high amounts of xylose. Moreover, the immobilised enzyme demonstrated reusability across several bioconversion cycles. Overall, this study highlights the potential industrial application of surface-displayed β-xylosidase for the effective degradation of lignocellulosic biomass.

Could carbon intensity credits for U.S. biofuels incentivize the use of low carbon feedstocks?

2025-06-19

Jeffrey K. O’Hara | Biomass and Bioenergy

Lignocellulosic Biomass and Enzymes: Fundamentals, Emerging Technologies, and Applications

2025-06-19

Anjali Singh , Kashish Ujla , Smriti Shrivastava | Catalysis Research

Lignocelluloses are complex plant polysaccharides made of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, and products made from these components find immense market potential. They can be effectively valorized to products related to … Lignocelluloses are complex plant polysaccharides made of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, and products made from these components find immense market potential. They can be effectively valorized to products related to bioenergy, bioplastics, food and nutrition, medication delivery systems, and other elements. Significant sources of lignocellulosic biomass include sugarcane bagasse, corn cob, rice straw, potato haulms, cocoa pods, etc. Enzyme-based valorization processes find immense potential, as they are eco-friendly and sustainable. A few prominent enzymes being used in the process, include hemicellulases (3.2.1.X), ligninases (EC 1.11.1.14), cellulases (EC 3.2.1.X), etc. These enzymes can be obtained from a diverse group of microorganisms and may be utilized in various industrial processes. The present review accounts for prominent lignocellulolytic enzymes, microbes producing these enzymes and their specific industrial applications. The review also highlights advances in enzyme production strategies and their production processes.

Effect of operating conditions on food waste fermentation to enhance VFA production and propionic acid selectivity

2025-06-19

M. Bourgeois , Sabine Taussac , Nicolas Bernet +2 more | Environmental Technology & Innovation

Blasting extrusion pretreatment of sweet sorghum bagasse for enhanced enzymatic saccharification and ethanol production using Pichia kudriavzevii ATCC 20,381

2025-06-19

Benjamín Vázquez-Rodríguez , Erick Heredia‐Olea , Adriana Alamilla-Morales +3 more | Bioresources and Bioprocessing

Targeted stress granule regulation by engineering a non-catalytic O-GlcNAc transferase

2025-06-18

Yun Ge , Na Wang , Fei Hou +4 more | Research Square (Research Square)

<title>Abstract</title> Stress granules (SGs) are dynamic ribonucleoprotein condensates whose assembly is driven by multivalent interactions and liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of their component proteins and mRNAs. Related to multiple diseases, … <title>Abstract</title> Stress granules (SGs) are dynamic ribonucleoprotein condensates whose assembly is driven by multivalent interactions and liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of their component proteins and mRNAs. Related to multiple diseases, SGs are an ideal prototype to study cellular condensates. Understanding their regulatory factors and developing modulation methods are critical to therapeutic development. O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) has been implicated in SG regulation, while its function beyond O-GlcNAcylation remains unknown. Here, we identified OGT to suppress the LLPS of G3BP1, a key SG protein, and thereby SG assembly. Unexpectedly, this suppression is independent of the OGT enzymatic activity. Also, we repurposed OGT into an SG modulator by generating a fusion protein consisting of its N-catalytic domain and poorly understood intervening domain (NI), coupled with induced proximity modules, such as a nanobody. We demonstrate that this inhibitory effect is achieved via targeted protein immobilization, which rigidifies G3BP1 after prolonged stress. This modular, genetically encoded tool recognizes the domain organization of G3BP1, thus is generalizable to another four proteins featuring similar architecture, suppressing condensate formation with mobility reduction. We also applied this strategy for SG perturbations to reveal SG functions on cellular activities. Our work provides a novel strategy for general SG regulation by interfering material properties of critical SG proteins and offers insights into the cryptic non-catalytic function of OGT.

Hydrogen fermentation and lignin pyrolysis of wheat straw via SPORL pretreatment

2025-06-18

Song Li , Jiale Fu , Zhixin Jia +4 more | Industrial Crops and Products

Interaction of class <scp>III</scp> cellobiose dehydrogenase with lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase

2025-06-18

Angela Giorgianni , Florian Csarman , Peicheng Sun +2 more | FEBS Open Bio

The genome of Fusarium solani , a well‐known plant pathogen, encodes various lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) involved in plant biomass degradation in combination with cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH). To investigate the … The genome of Fusarium solani , a well‐known plant pathogen, encodes various lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) involved in plant biomass degradation in combination with cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH). To investigate the auxiliary role of the recently expressed and characterized class III CDH from F. solani ( Fs CDH), this enzyme was tested in combination with the well‐characterized AA9C from Neurospora crassa ( Nc AA9C). Steady‐state and stopped‐flow methods as well as electrochemical measurements demonstrate how Fs CDH efficiently transfers electrons to Nc AA9C, with a rapid, observed heme reoxidation rate constant of 129 s −1 . In comparison to ascomycete class II CDHs, the H 2 O 2 production by Fs CDH is insufficient to promote LPMO activity. However, a cyclic cascade between Nc AA9C and Fs CDH was found. Nc AA9C reaction products showed a high catalytic efficiency as Fs CDH substrates, with K M values close to its natural substrate cellobiose. This reaction was further investigated by a real time measurement, where Fs CDH and Nc AA9C were incubated with phosphoric acid‐swollen cellulose and the reaction was sustained over a long period without the addition of an external reductant. The new class III CDH is similar to other CDH classes, except its very low reactivity with molecular oxygen, pointing towards a different function in Ascomycota than class II CDH. These findings contribute to the better understanding of oxidative cellulose degradation by fungi and thus, to potential biotechnological applications for the sustainable use of biomass.

Biomasses, Biofuels, and e-Fuels

2025-06-18

Carlo Villante , Sonia Dell'Aversano , Stefano Ranieri | CRC Press eBooks

Biométhane et gaz naturel, une histoire de famille

2025-06-17

Isabelle Le Hécho , Brice Bouyssière , Aurore Lecharlier +6 more | Ébullition(s).

Le biométhane, obtenu par purification du biogaz, est une alternative renouvelable au gaz naturel. Les recherches menées à l’UPPA avec Teréga se concentrent sur les composés traces présents dans le … Le biométhane, obtenu par purification du biogaz, est une alternative renouvelable au gaz naturel. Les recherches menées à l’UPPA avec Teréga se concentrent sur les composés traces présents dans le biogaz et le biométhane. Des méthodes innovantes de prélèvement et de préconcentration ont été développées pour piéger et analyser ces composés facilitant les contrôles de la qualité en amont ou en aval d’unités de traitement ou au niveau de l’injection du biométhane dans le réseau afin de garantir l’adéquation de sa qualité par rapport aux usages et à l’environnement.

Enhancement of cellulosome expression by deletion of an HtrA protein in Clostridium thermocellum

2025-06-17

Yichen Qiao , Chao Chen , Yingang Feng | Bioresource Technology

Cell wall degradation by glucanase activity: Trichoderma pleuroticola and Pythium ultimum interaction

2025-06-17

Samira Shahbazi , Hamed Askari , Mehrdad Alizadeh | Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology

Enhanced Biogas Production from Glucose and Glycerol by Artificial Consortia of Anaerobic Sludge with Immobilized Yeast

2025-06-17

Nikolay Stepanov , Olga Senko , Aysel Aslanli +2 more | Fermentation

Today, there is considerable interest in creating artificial microbial consortia to solve various biotechnological problems. The use of such consortia allows for the improvement of process indicators, namely, increasing the … Today, there is considerable interest in creating artificial microbial consortia to solve various biotechnological problems. The use of such consortia allows for the improvement of process indicators, namely, increasing the rate of accumulation of target products and enhancing the conversion efficiency of the original substrates. In this work, the prospects for creating artificial consortia based on anaerobic sludge (AS) with cells of different yeasts were confirmed to increase the efficiency of methanogenesis in glucose- and glycerol-containing media and obtain biogas with an increased methane content. Yeasts of the genera Saccharomyces, Candida, Kluyveromyces, and Pachysolen were used to create the artificial consortia. Their concentration in the biomass of consortium cells was 1.5%. Yeast cells were used in an immobilized form, which was obtained by incorporating cells into a cryogel of polyvinyl alcohol. The possibility of increasing the efficiency of methanogenesis by 1.5 times in relation to the control (AS without the addition of yeast cells) was demonstrated. Using a consortium composed of methanogenic sludge and yeast cells of the genus Pachysolen, known for their ability to convert glycerol into ethanol under aerobic conditions, the possibility of highly efficient anaerobic conversion of glycerol into biogas was shown for the first time. Analysis of the metabolic activity of the consortia not only for the main components of the gas phase (CH4, CO2, and H2) and metabolites in the cell culture medium, but also for the concentration of intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP), controlled by the method of bioluminescent ATP-metry, showed a high level of functionality and thus, prospects for using such consortia in methanogenesis processes. The advantages and the prospect of using the developed consortia instead of individual AS for the treatment of methanogenic wastewater were confirmed during static tests conducted with several samples of real and model waste.

Efficient Cell Factory Design by Combining Meta-Heuristic Algorithm with Enzyme Constrained Metabolic Models

2025-06-17

Wenxing Liao , Guohua Gao , Xingcun Fan +5 more | bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

The design of high-performance microbial cell factories is essential for advancing sustainable biomanufacturing. However, the intricate nature of metabolic networks complicates the prediction of genetic interventions, making strain optimization a … The design of high-performance microbial cell factories is essential for advancing sustainable biomanufacturing. However, the intricate nature of metabolic networks complicates the prediction of genetic interventions, making strain optimization a challenging combinatorial problem. Here we present a novel computational strain design algorithm-MetaStrain that integrates enzyme-constrained models (ecModels) with efficient meta-heuristic algorithms to identify non-intuitive combinatorial gene targets for improving product yields. Our algorithm employs a modified enforced objective flux scanning algorithm to reduce the dimensionality of gene candidates and annotate editing strategies. Subsequently, binary and symbolic genetic algorithms and the adaptive differential evolution algorithm with external archives (JADE) are employed for gene target selection, with product yield as the fitness function. We adapted minimization of metabolic adjustment strategy for ecModels to evaluate the productive phenotypes of mutant strains. Computational validation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a host demonstrates significant enhancements in 2-phenylethanol production. Further generalization to spermidine biosynthesis confirms the framework's robustness. The proposed algorithm achieves high computational efficiency, stable convergence, and strong adaptability across diverse metabolic targets. This study provides a powerful computational tool for metabolic engineering, addressing the complexity of strain design and highlighting the potential of meta-heuristic optimization in synthetic biology.

Scale-up study on fermentative succinic acid production from wheat straw following a cascading biorefinery approach

2025-06-17

Linda Schroedter , Roland Schneider , Joachim Venus | Industrial Crops and Products

Genomic and Transcriptomic Characterization of Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes in the Anaerobic Fungus <i>Neocallimastix cameroonii</i> var. constans

2025-06-16

Elaina M. Blair , Tejas Navaratna , Colleen B. Ahern +7 more | G3 Genes Genomes Genetics

Abstract Anaerobic gut fungi effectively degrade lignocellulose in the guts of large herbivores, but there remains a limited number of isolated, publicly available, and sequenced strains that impede our understanding … Abstract Anaerobic gut fungi effectively degrade lignocellulose in the guts of large herbivores, but there remains a limited number of isolated, publicly available, and sequenced strains that impede our understanding of the role of anaerobic fungi within microbial communities. We isolated and characterized a new fungal isolate, Neocallimastix cameroonii var. constans, providing a transcriptomic and genomic understanding of its ability to degrade diverse carbohydrates. This anaerobic fungal strain was stably cultivated for multiple years in vitro among members of an initial enrichment microbial community derived from goat feces, and it demonstrated the ability to pair with other microbial members, namely archaeal methanogens to produce methane from lignocellulose. Genomic analysis revealed a higher number of predicted carbohydrate-active enzymes encoded in the N. cameroonii var. constans genome compared to most other sequenced anaerobic fungi. The carbohydrate-active enzyme profile for this isolate contained 660 glycoside hydrolases, 160 carbohydrate esterases, 194 glycosyltransferases, and 85 polysaccharide lyases. Differential gene expression analysis showed the upregulation of thousands of genes (including predicted carbohydrate-active enzymes) when N. cameroonii var. constans was grown on lignocellulose (reed canary grass) compared to less complex substrates, such as cellulose (filter paper), cellobiose, and glucose. AlphaFold was used to predict functions of transcriptionally active yet poorly annotated genes, revealing feruloyl esterases that likely play an important role in lignocellulose degradation by anaerobic fungi. The combination of this strain’s genomic and transcriptomic characterization, omics-informed structural prediction, and robustness in microbial co-culture make it a well-suited platform to conduct future investigations into bioprocessing and enzyme discovery.

Techno-Economic Analysis of an Integrated E-Methanol Production Plant Utilizing First and Second Generation Biomass Resources

2025-06-16

Renston Jake Fernandes , Mohammad Raghib Shakeel , Ducduy Nguyen +2 more | SAE technical papers on CD-ROM/SAE technical paper series

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">This study presents a comprehensive techno-economic assessment (TEA) of an integrated e-methanol production system building upon previously published foundational research utilizing Aspen Plus modeling for e-methanol … <div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">This study presents a comprehensive techno-economic assessment (TEA) of an integrated e-methanol production system building upon previously published foundational research utilizing Aspen Plus modeling for e-methanol production from sugar cane and sugar beet biomass. The established integrated system converts biomass into ethanol through fermentation and synthesizes e-methanol using both captured CO<sub>2</sub> and syngas derived from biomass residue gasification. This approach maximizes CO<sub>2</sub> and biomass utilization, promoting a circular carbon economy. The TEA quantifies capital expenditures (CAPEX), operational expenditures (OPEX), and levelized costs of Methanol (LCOM), providing a detailed economic analysis of the potential for commercializing e-methanol. A sensitivity analysis evaluates the impact of feedstock prices and Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), identifying key leverage points affecting financial viability. The study aims to explore the potential of utilizing existing agricultural infrastructure for sugar cane and sugar beet to minimize setup costs and expedite market readiness. The system’s capacity to reduce carbon emissions significantly aligns with global sustainability goals. This study provides strategic recommendations for scaling e-methanol production and improving its economic viability in the renewable energy sector. The sensitivity analysis particularly aids in developing robust strategies to mitigate risks associated with economic and market fluctuations.</div></div>

Performance evaluation of a small scale palm fruit biomass-fired autoclave boiler

2025-06-16

Y Salako , Oseni Owolarafe , Ajiboye S. Osunleke +2 more | International Journal of Agriculture Environment and Food Sciences

Different fuel mixture (empty fruit bunch, fiber and shell from palm kernel) at different ratios were used to fire an existing boiler to determine the most efficient fuel mixture composition … Different fuel mixture (empty fruit bunch, fiber and shell from palm kernel) at different ratios were used to fire an existing boiler to determine the most efficient fuel mixture composition for an improved performance of the boiler. This was carried out to determine the effects of the different types of fuel mixture (at different proportions) on the steam temperature, pressure, rate of steam production and boiler efficiency of the boiler. It was discovered that fuel mixture with higher percentage of fibre cum palm-kernel shells produced the best results for high combustion rate and steam generation. The result of the steam temperature, pressure and enthalpy results for all the fuel combinations ranges between 141 to 161°C, 3.7 to 6.34 bar, and 27.351 to 27.591 MJ kg-1, respectively. Fuel combination ratio 1:8:1 produced the best result in terms of rate of steam generated while the fuel mixture ratio 1:2:7 produced the highest value for boiler efficiency (74.2%). The boiler consumed more fuel with combinations that have high percentage of fibre content (2:7:1) due to the physical and combustion properties of fibres but fuel combinations with higher shell content in the mixture (1:1:8) burns longer in the combustion chamber than mixtures with higher percentages of other fuel. The fuel mixtures produced high temperatures with ranges of 602 to 738°C for processing operation which indicated the suitability of these fuels as good potentials for boilers. These results indicates that preparation of the waste product from palm oil processing as fuel to fire the boiler have the capacity to supply the energy required in the mill in order to boost the extraction efficiency and oil quality of the small scale palm fruit processors upon incorporation into their process line.

Integrating the first- and second-generation bioethanol co-production from wheat and wheat straw process: techno-economic feasibility and life cycle assessment

2025-06-16

Xuejin Yang , Zhen‐Li Yan , Chao‐Jun Du +5 more | Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering

Contribution and regulation of Ustilago maydis in carbohydrate metabolism during maize silage fermentation

2025-06-15

Luo Chongyu , Ni Chengcheng , Quanmin Dong +1 more | Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture

<i>ZmSSRP1</i>, transactivated by OPAQUE11, positively regulates starch biosynthesis in maize endosperm

2025-06-15

Long Chen , Chengyun Wu , Quanzhi Li +5 more | Plant Biotechnology Journal

Starch synthesis is crucial for crop yield and quality. This study reveals an O11-ZmSSRP1 module of kernel starch biosynthesis in maize (Zea mays). We identify STARCH SYNTHESIS REGULATING PROTEIN 1 … Starch synthesis is crucial for crop yield and quality. This study reveals an O11-ZmSSRP1 module of kernel starch biosynthesis in maize (Zea mays). We identify STARCH SYNTHESIS REGULATING PROTEIN 1 (ZmSSRP1) positively regulates amylose and amylopectin-dependent starch synthesis in maize endosperm. ZmSSRP1 encodes a highly conserved plastid-localized protein that is highly expressed in developing endosperm. Loss-of-function zmssrp1 mutants created by CRISPR/Cas9 exhibit much smaller starch granules and significantly reduced amylose and amylopectin synthesis, while overexpression of ZmSSRP1 causes larger starch granules and an increased amylose and amylopectin accumulation. RNA-seq analysis revealed that the expression levels of several genes involved in the synthesis of amylose and amylopectin were significantly down-regulated in the zmssrp1 mutant compared to the wild-type. Furthermore, we found that OPAQUE11 (O11), a core transcription factor essential for maize endosperm development and nutrient metabolism, transactivates the expression of ZmSSRP1 by binding to its promoter, and functions upstream of ZmSSRP1 in the regulatory pathway governing starch synthesis in the maize endosperm. The present work demonstrates that the O11-ZmSSRP1 module positively regulates starch synthesis in maize kernels, potentially paving the way for future genetic improvements of maize quality.

Eco-Friendly Biodegradation of Plant Biomass Using Multienzyme-Producing Trichoderma harzianum for Sustainable Feed Improvement

2025-06-15

Sokhibjon Abdusamatov , Dilfuza Jabborova , Nodira Azimova +7 more | Waste and Biomass Valorization

ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC WASTES AFTER XYLITOL PRODUCTION

2025-06-14

Anna Valerievna Bakhtiyarova , Sofia Romanovna Mambetova , Pimenov Sergey Dmirievich +2 more | chemistry of plant raw material

Pretreatment of lignocellulosic plant feedstock is an important step for glucose production by enzymatic methods. Acid treatment of birch sawdusts results in dissolution of hemicelluloses with xylose formation. The article … Pretreatment of lignocellulosic plant feedstock is an important step for glucose production by enzymatic methods. Acid treatment of birch sawdusts results in dissolution of hemicelluloses with xylose formation. The article considers the reactivity of cellolignin after xylitol production of birch wood at different acid consumption for the hydrolysis process. The yield of products after the enzymatic hydrolysis in the sample treated with increased acid consumption (6.25 g/kg dry wood) was 33.3 g/L, which is 55.6% higher than in the case of the sample treated with less amount of acid (consumption of 3.75 g/kg dry wood). The yield of products of enzymatic hydrolysis of untreated birch was 8 g/l. Thus the reactivity of lignocellulosic wastes for enzymatic hydrolysis increases with the increase of acid consumption at xylitol production from 2.2 to 4 times, respectively. In practice, it is advisable to combine the processes of xylitol production with enzymatic hydrolysis for more efficient utilization of xylan-containing feedstock, the obtaining both xylose and glucose for subsequent production of value-added products.

Novel techniques of pretreatments and post-treatments for bio-oil upgrading: A comprehensive review

2025-06-13

Behnam Rezvani | Biomass and Bioenergy

Genomic and Functional Analysis of a Novel Yeast Cyberlindnera fabianii TBRC 4498 for High-Yield Xylitol Production

2025-06-13

Pawarin Bonthong , Benjarat Bunterngsook , Wuttichai Mhuantong +4 more | Journal of Fungi

The development of yeast cell factories for efficient xylose utilization and xylitol production is crucial for advancing sustainable biotechnological processes. Xylose, a major component of lignocellulosic biomass, presents challenges for … The development of yeast cell factories for efficient xylose utilization and xylitol production is crucial for advancing sustainable biotechnological processes. Xylose, a major component of lignocellulosic biomass, presents challenges for microbial conversion due to its complex metabolic pathways. This study presents the genomic perspective and xylitol production capability of a novel xylose utilizing yeast Cyberlindnera fabianii TBRC 4498. Genome sequencing and functional annotation revealed key metabolic networks and genes involved in the xylose metabolism pathway, providing insights into the strain's performance. The Cy. fabianii TBRC 4498 had excellent growth and xylose assimilation at a broad range of xylose concentrations from 40 to 140 g/L, with the highest growth rate at 80 g/L of xylose. The highest xylitol production yield (83.19 g/L) was detected from 120 g/L of xylose at 30 °C for 72 h, equivalent to 0.65 g xylitol/g xylose and 1.16 g/L/h productivity. Remarkably, Cy. fabianii TBRC 4498 produced high-purity xylitol, achieving over 95% homogeneity without forming undesirable byproducts, such as acid or ethanol. These results demonstrated the potential of Cy. fabianii TBRC 4498 as a whole-cell biocatalyst for xylitol production using high xylose concentrations, offering a promising microbial cell factory for large-scale xylitol production from lignocellulosic sugar.

Production of ethyl butyrate by a triple cascade process of the continuous submerged and solid state fermentation with corn stover

2025-06-13

Dongsheng Xue , Jie Huang , Jinjing Chen +6 more | 3 Biotech

Utilization of bacterial enzymes for cellulose and hemicelluloses degradations: Medical and industrial benefits

2025-06-13

Samy Selim , Mohammad Harun‐Ur‐Rashid , Yousef Alhaj Hamoud +1 more | BioResources

Cellulose and hemicellulose, which are essential structural components of plant cell walls, are key renewable resources for various biotechnological applications. Bacterial enzymes can degrade these polysaccharides and have emerged as … Cellulose and hemicellulose, which are essential structural components of plant cell walls, are key renewable resources for various biotechnological applications. Bacterial enzymes can degrade these polysaccharides and have emerged as efficient, eco-friendly alternatives to chemical methods, offering significant advantages in industrial processes and medical therapies. This review explores bacterial enzymes, such as cellulases and hemicellulases, which break down cellulose and hemicellulose—two major components of plant cell walls—and their mechanisms of action in both industrial and medical applications. These enzymes offer an eco-friendly alternative to chemical processes, contributing significantly to sustainability by reducing chemical usage and improving biofuel yields. Beyond industrial applications, bacterial enzymes contribute to medical innovations such as targeted drug delivery systems and wound healing, with potential for treating chronic diseases like diabetes and inflammatory bowel disorders. These are currently being tested in clinical settings to enhance therapeutic outcomes. Advances in synthetic biology, which involves designing new biological parts and systems, enzyme engineering, the modification of enzymes to improve their function, and microbial consortia design have further enhanced the efficiency and versatility of these enzymes, making them indispensable in modern biotechnology. Future research focusing on optimizing enzyme stability, catalytic efficiency, and substrate specificity will drive innovations in both industrial sustainability and transformative medical applications.