title: Improving conversion yield of fermentable sugars into fuel ethanol in 1st generation yeast-based production processes.
abstract: Current fuel ethanol production using yeasts and starch or sucrose-based feedstocks is referred to as 1st generation (1G) ethanol production. These processes are characterized by the high contribution of sugar prices to the final production costs, by high production volumes, and by low profit margins. In this context, small improvements in the ethanol yield on sugars have a large impact on process economy. Three types of strategies used to achieve this goal are discussed: engineering free-energy conservation, engineering redox-metabolism, and decreasing sugar losses in the process. Whereas the two former strategies lead to decreased biomass and/or glycerol formation, the latter requires increased process and/or yeast robustness.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Food Engineering and Bioenergy Laboratory, University of Campinas, Rua Monteiro Lobato, 80, 13083-862 Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andreas K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Gombert
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 67, 2628 BC, Delft, The Netherlands. Electronic address: A.J.A.vanMaris@tudelft.nl.
authors.forename: Antonius J A
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van Maris
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D002241:Carbohydrates; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005285:Fermentation; D015003:Yeasts / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D000431:Ethanol