title: Enzymatic conversion of lignin into renewable chemicals.
abstract: The aromatic heteropolymer lignin is a major component of plant cell walls, and is produced industrially from paper/pulp manufacture and cellulosic bioethanol production. Conversion of lignin into renewable chemicals is a major unsolved problem in the development of a biomass-based biorefinery. The review describes recent developments in the understanding of bacterial enzymes for lignin breakdown, such as DyP peroxidases, bacterial laccases, and beta-etherase enzymes. The use of pathway engineering methods to construct genetically modified microbes to convert lignin to renewable chemicals (e.g. vanillin, adipic acid) via fermentation is discussed, and the search for novel applications for lignin (e.g. carbon fibre).
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom. Electronic address: T.D.Bugg@warwick.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Timothy D H
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Bugg
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rahman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rahmanpour
mesh_terms: D000272:Adipates / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005285:Fermentation; D007218:Industrial Microbiology / Q000379:methods*; D042845:Laccase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008031:Lignin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D060847:Metabolic Engineering / Q000379:methods; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010544:Peroxidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014641:Vanillic Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000272:Adipates; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C029900:adipic acid; D008031:Lignin; D010088:Oxidoreductases; C060093:aryl ether cleaving enzyme; D042845:Laccase; D010544:Peroxidases; D014641:Vanillic Acid