Microbial enzymes are of great importance in the development of industrial bioprocesses. Current applications are focused on many different markets including pulp and paper, leather, detergents and textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemical, food and beverages, biofuels, animal feed and personal care, among others. Today there is a need for new, improved or/and more versatile enzymes in order to develop more novel, sustainable and economically competitive production processes. Microbial diversity and modern molecular techniques, such as metagenomics and genomics, are being used to discover new microbial enzymes whose catalytic properties can be improved/modified by different strategies based on rational, semi-rational and random directed evolution. Most industrial enzymes are recombinant forms produced in bacteria and fungi.

https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/4/1/117/pdf

Microbial Enzymes: Tools for Biotechnological Processes

New enzyme insights drive advances in commercial ethanol production.

The highly acclaimed prospect of renewable lignocellulosic biocommodities as obvious replacement of their fossil-based counterparts is burgeoning within the last few years. However, the use of the abundant lignocellulosic biomass provided by nature to produce value-added products, especially bioethanol, still faces significant challenges. One of the crucial challenging factors is in association with the expression levels, stability, and cost-effectiveness of the cellulose-degrading enzymes (cellulases). Interestingly, several recommendable endeavors in the bid to curb these challenges are in pursuance. However, the existing body of literature has not well provided the updated roadmap of the advancement and key players spearheading the current success. Moreover, the description of enzyme systems and emerging paradigms with high prospects, for example, the cell-surface display system has been ill-captured in the literature. This review focuses on the lignocellulosic biocommodity pathway, with emphasis on cellulase and hemicellulase systems. The paradigm shift towards cell-surface display system and its emerging recommendable developments have also been discussed. The attempts in supplementing cellulase with other enzymes, accessory proteins, and chemical additives have also been discussed. Moreover, some of the prominent and influential discoveries in the cellulase fraternity have been discussed.

/pdf/lignocellulases-a-review-of-emerging-and-developing-enzymes-4sk2mcmm6r.pdf

Lignocellulases: a review of emerging and developing enzymes, systems, and practices

Background
Feedstock recalcitrance is the most important barrier impeding cost-effective production of cellulosic biofuels. Pioneer commercial cellulosic ethanol facilities employ thermochemical pretreatment and addition of fungal cellulase, reflecting the main research emphasis in the field. However, it has been suggested that it may be possible to process cellulosic biomass without thermochemical pretreatment using thermophilic, cellulolytic bacteria. To further explore this idea, we examine the ability of various biocatalysts to solubilize autoclaved but otherwise unpretreated cellulosic biomass under controlled but not industrial conditions.

/pdf/biological-lignocellulose-solubilization-comparative-20jy4od605.pdf

Biological lignocellulose solubilization: comparative evaluation of biocatalysts and enhancement via cotreatment.

Background Feedstock recalcitrance is the most important barrier impeding cost-effective production of cellulosic biofuels. Pioneer commercial cellulosic ethanol facilities employ thermochemical pretreatment and addition of fungal cellulase, reflecting the main research emphasis in the field. However, it has been suggested that it may be possible to process cellulosic biomass without thermochemical pretreatment using thermophilic, cellulolytic bacteria. To further explore this idea, we examine the ability of various biocatalysts to solubilize autoclaved but otherwise unpretreated cellulosic biomass under controlled but not industrial conditions.ResultsCarbohydrate solubilization of mid-season harvested switchgrass after 5 days ranged from 24 % for Caldicellulosiruptor bescii to 65 % for Clostridium thermocellum, with intermediate values for a thermophilic horse manure enrichment, Clostridium clariflavum, Clostridium cellulolyticum, and simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) featuring a fungal cellulase cocktail and yeast. Under a variety of conditions, solubilization yields were about twice as high for C. thermocellum compared to fungal cellulase. Solubilization of mid-season harvested switchgrass was about twice that of senescent switchgrass. Lower yields and greater dependence on particle size were observed for Populus as compared to switchgrass. Trends observed from data drawn from six conversion systems and three substrates, including both time course and end-point data, were (1) equal fractional solubilization of glucan and xylan, (2) no biological solubilization of the non-carbohydrate fraction of biomass, and (3) higher solubilization for three of the four bacterial cultures tested as compared to the fungal cellulase system. Brief (5 min) ball milling of solids remaining after fermentation of senescent switchgrass by C. thermocellum nearly doubled carbohydrate solubilization upon reinnoculation as compared to a control without milling. Greater particle size reduction and solubilization were observed for milling of partially fermented solids than for unfermented solids. Physical disruption of cellulosic feedstocks after initiation of fermentation, termed cotreatment, warrants further study.ConclusionsWhile the ability to achieve significant solubilization of minimally pretreated switchgrass is widespread, a fivefold difference between the most and least effective biocatalyst—feedstock combinations was observed. Starting with nature’s best biomass-solubilizing systems may enable a reduction in the amount of non-biological processing required, and in particular substitution of cotreatment for pretreatment.

Biological lignocellulose solubilization: comparative evaluation of biocatalysts and enhancement via cotreatment

Degradation of microcrystalline cellulose and non-pretreated plant biomass by a cell-free extracellular cellulase/hemicellulase system from the extreme thermophilic bacterium Caldicellulosiruptor bescii.

Sumiyo Kanafusa-Shinkai

Papers

Degradation of microcrystalline cellulose and non-pretreated plant biomass by a cell-free extracellular cellulase/hemicellulase system from the extreme thermophilic bacterium Caldicellulosiruptor bescii.