title: Biocatalysts for biomass deconstruction from environmental genomics.
abstract: Plant biomass offers a sustainable alternative to the energy and materials produced from fossil fuels. The industrial scale production or biorefining of fermentable sugars and aromatics from plant biomass is currently limited by the lack of cost effective and efficient biocatalysts. One potential solution to this problem is the discovery of biomass deconstructing biocatalysts from uncultivated microbial communities. Here we review recent progress in recovering such biological devices from environmental genomes and consider how this information can be used to build better biorefining ecosystems.
authors.affiliation: Genome Science and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: Zachary
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Armstrong
authors.affiliation: Genome Science and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mewis
authors.affiliation: MetaMixis Biologics Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Cameron
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Strachan
authors.affiliation: Genome Science and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; MetaMixis Biologics Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Electronic address: shallam@mail.ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hallam
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055162:Biocatalysis; D018533:Biomass; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D008031:Lignin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D056186:Metagenomics / Q000379:methods*; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008031:Lignin