Thermoascus aurantiacus is a promising source of enzymes for biomass deconstruction under thermophilic conditions
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Background: Thermophilic fungi have attracted increased interest for their ability to secrete enzymes that deconstruct biomass at high temperatures. However, development of thermophilic fungi as enzyme producers for biomass deconstruction has not been thoroughly investigated. Comparing the enzymatic...
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Advances in biotechnology and genomics of switchgrass
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a C4 perennial warm season grass indigenous to the North American tallgrass prairie. A number of its natural and agronomic traits, including adaptation to a wide geographical distribution, low nutrient requirements and production costs, high water use efficiency,...
Enhanced characteristics of genetically modified switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) for high biofuel production
Background: Lignocellulosic biomass is one of the most promising renewable and clean energy resources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. However, the resistance to accessibility of sugars embedded in plant cell walls (so-called recalcitrance) is a major barrier to eco...
Setting the standard for sustainable bioenergy crops
Bioenergy crops, such as Miscanthus and switchgrass, appear to be promising resources for renewable energy, but these new crops did not come with a manual on how to measure details on their sustainability impacts. Jody Endres, University of Illinois professor of energy and environmental law and chai...
The development and use of an ELISA-based method to follow the distribution of cellulase monocomponents during the hydrolysis of pretreated corn stover
Background: It is widely recognised that fast, effective hydrolysis of pretreated lignocellulosic substrates requires the synergistic action of multiple types of hydrolytic and some non-hydrolytic proteins. However, due to the complexity of the enzyme mixture, the enzymes interaction with and interf...
Mining for hemicellulases in the fungus-growing termite Pseudacanthotermes militaris using functional metagenomics
Background: The metagenomic analysis of gut microbiomes has emerged as a powerful strategy for the identification of biomass-degrading enzymes, which will be no doubt useful for the development of advanced biorefining processes. In the present study, we have performed a functional metagenomic analys...
