title: Improved biomass degradation using fungal glucuronoyl-esterases-hydrolysis of natural corn fiber substrate.
abstract: Lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCCs) are in part responsible for the recalcitrance of lignocellulosics in relation to industrial utilization of biomass for biofuels. Glucuronoyl esterases (GEs) belonging to the carbohydrate esterase family 15 have been proposed to be able to degrade ester LCCs between glucuronic acids in xylans and lignin alcohols. By means of synthesized complex LCC model substrates we provide kinetic data suggesting a preference of fungal GEs for esters of bulky arylalkyl alcohols such as ester LCCs. Furthermore, using natural corn fiber substrate we report the first examples of improved degradation of lignocellulosic biomass by the use of GEs. Improved C5 sugar, glucose and glucuronic acid release was observed when heat pretreated corn fiber was incubated in the presence of GEs from Cerrena unicolor and Trichoderma reesei on top of different commercial cellulase/hemicellulase preparations. These results emphasize the potential of GEs for delignification of biomass thereby improving the overall yield of fermentable sugars for biofuel production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby 2800, Denmark.
authors.forename: Clotilde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: d'Errico
authors.affiliation: Novozymes A/S, Krogshøjvej 36, 2880 Bagsværd, Denmark.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Börjesson
authors.affiliation: Novozymes A/S, Krogshøjvej 36, 2880 Bagsværd, Denmark.
authors.forename: Hanshu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Novozymes A/S, Krogshøjvej 36, 2880 Bagsværd, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kristian B R M
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Krogh
authors.affiliation: Novozymes A/S, Krogshøjvej 36, 2880 Bagsværd, Denmark.
authors.forename: Nikolaj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Spodsberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby 2800, Denmark.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.affiliation: Novozymes A/S, Krogshøjvej 36, 2880 Bagsværd, Denmark. Electronic address: rnmo@novozymes.com.
authors.forename: Rune Nygaard
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Monrad
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D004950:Esterases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007700:Kinetics; D008031:Lignin / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011124:Polyporaceae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013696:Temperature; D014242:Trichoderma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003313:Zea mays / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D008031:Lignin; D004950:Esterases
keywords: Biofuel; Corn fiber; Enzymatic delignification; Glucuronoyl esterase; Lignin-carbohydrate complexes; Lignocellulose