Improved biomass degradation using fungal glucuronoyl-esterases-hydrolysis of natural corn fiber substrate

Clotilde d'Errico, Johan Börjesson, Hanshu Ding, Kristian B.R.M. Krogh, Nikolaj Spodsberg, Robert Madsen, Rune Nygaard Monrad

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs) are in part responsible for the recalcitrance of lignocellulosics in relation to industrial utilization of biomass for biofuels. Glucuronoyl esterases (GEs) belonging to the carbohydrate esterase family 15 have been proposed to be able to degrade ester LCCs between glucuronic acids in xylans and lignin alcohols. By means of synthesized complex LCC model substrates we provide kinetic data suggesting a preference of fungal GEs for esters of bulky arylalkyl alcohols such as ester LCCs. Furthermore, using natural corn fiber substrate we report the first examples of improved degradation of lignocellulosic biomass by the use of GEs. Improved C5 sugar, glucose and glucuronic acid release was observed when heat pretreated corn fiber was incubated in the presence of GEs from Cerrena unicolor and Trichoderma reesei on top of different commercial cellulase/hemicellulase preparations. These results emphasize the potential of GEs for delignification of biomass thereby improving the overall yield of fermentable sugars for biofuel production.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Biotechnology
Volume219
Pages (from-to)117-123
Number of pages7
ISSN0168-1656
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016

Keywords

  • Biofuel
  • Corn fiber
  • Enzymatic delignification
  • Glucuronoyl esterase
  • Lignin-carbohydrate complexes
  • Lignocellulose

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