title: Combining C6 and C5 sugar metabolism for enhancing microbial bioconversion.
abstract: Mixed sugars, which are often obtained from renewable biomass, can be converted into biofuels and chemicals by microbial conversion. This sustainable production process can also mitigate man-made climate change when used to petroleum-based fuel and chemical production. In contrast to single sugar fermentations, such as corn-based or sugarcane-based ethanol fermentations, mixed sugar fermentations present significant challenges for cost-effective production of the target products. In particular, inefficient and slow microbial fermentation of non-glucose sugars, such as galactose and xylose from the depolymerization of marine and terrestrial biomass has been a major obstacle. Nonetheless, simultaneous utilization of mixed sugars has recently been demonstrated through innovative metabolic engineering strategies and the discovery of transporters, and metabolic pathways which are necessary for co-fermenting glucose and non-glucose sugars.
authors.affiliation: Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, United States; Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 905 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, United States.
authors.forename: Guo-Chang
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, United States.
authors.forename: Jing-Jing
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, United States; Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 905 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, United States.
authors.forename: In Iok
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, United States; Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 905 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, United States.
authors.forename: Suryang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.affiliation: Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, United States; Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 905 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, United States. Electronic address: ysjin@illinois.edu.
authors.forename: Yong-Su
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology*; D018533:Biomass; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005285:Fermentation; D005658:Fungi / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060847:Metabolic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels