title: Challenges for the production of bioethanol from biomass using recombinant yeasts.
abstract: Lignocellulose biomass, one of the most abundant renewable resources on the planet, is an alternative sustainable energy source for the production of second-generation biofuels. Energy in the form of simple or complex carbohydrates can be extracted from lignocellulose biomass and fermented by microorganisms to produce bioethanol. Despite 40 years of active and cutting-edge research invested into the development of technologies to produce bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass, the process remains commercially unviable. This review describes the achievements that have been made in generating microorganisms capable of utilizing both simple and complex sugars from lignocellulose biomass and the fermentation of these sugars into ethanol. We also provide a discussion on the current "roadblocks" standing in the way of making second-generation bioethanol a commercially viable alternative to fossil fuels.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kricka
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bond
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels / Q000032:analysis; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005285:Fermentation; D007218:Industrial Microbiology / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D008031:Lignin / Q000378:metabolism; D012440:Saccharomyces / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; C036909:lignocellulose; D000431:Ethanol; D008031:Lignin
keywords: Bioethanol; Lignocellulose biomass; Pentose and hexose sugar fermentation; Recombinant yeasts