An overview of the enzyme potential in bioenergy-producing biorefineries

Abstract

Biorefineries are considered as an integrative thinking that focuses on the possibility of obtaining as many added-value products as technically and economically feasible. However, in practice most biorefineries comprise only enzymatic or chemical pretreatment followed by biofuel generation. The drop in oil prices may menace the development of this young industry, as has happened before in history. This has become a fundamental reason for which the biofuel industry should not consider only biofuels production, but enzyme and non-fuel based chemicals as well. Hence, this work aims at overviewing the most important enzymes involved in biotechnological processes and to describe their role in biorefineries. Bioethanol, biogas and biodiesel biorefineries are overviewed, along with the integrated and industrial types. Finally separation and purification processes in biorefineries are discussed.

Robust Surface Plasmon Resonance Chips for Repetitive and Accurate Analysis of Lignin–Peptide Interactions

“…17 On the other hand, the coexistence of lignin with cellulose and hemicelluloses is known to limit this conversion process severely by adsorbing or trapping the cellulase enzymes. 17−19 Considerable efforts have thus far been paid to study the interactions of lignin with proteins or peptides by highly sensitive SPR 20,21 and quartz crystal microbalance 22−24 sensor techniques in addition to conventional less sensitive methods, such as enzymatic reactions, 25−27 adsorption isotherms, 28−30 and potentiometric titrations. 31 However, lignins have usually been attached to sensor chips via physical adsorption; 32 consequently, undesired detachment of lignin from the sensor chip surface has impeded accurate analysis.…”

Enhanced heterologous expression of Trichoderma reesei Cel5A/Cel6A in Pichia pastoris with extracellular co‐expression of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin

“…Efficient cellulase hydrolysis of cellulose in various lignocellulosic biomass has remained a major technical challenge in the enzyme based biorefinery process . To improve the hydrolytic efficiency of cellulase preparations, attempts are made to improve the composition of cellulose‐degrading glycoside hydrolases .…”

“…Efficient cellulase hydrolysis of cellulose in various lignocellulosic biomass has remained a major technical challenge in the enzyme based biorefinery process. 1,2 To improve the hydrolytic efficiency of cellulase preparations, attempts are made to improve the composition of cellulose-degrading glycoside hydrolases. 3,4 It is acknowledged that the most widely studied cellulase enzymes are mainly composed of endo--1,4-glucanases (EG I, EG II, EG III and EG IV) cleaving internal glycosidic bonds in the cellulose chain and cellulose 1,4--cellobiohydrolase (CBH I and CBH II) acting on the ends of the cellulose chain.…”

In Focus: Biotechnology and chemical technology for biorefineries and biofuel production

“…Escamilla‐Alvarado et al reviewed the potential of using enzymes as biocatalysts for the transformation of biomass into biofuels and/or bioproducts with added value. They analyzed different configurations of biorefineries for the production of liquid and gaseous biofuels, as well as for the production of chemicals with added value.…”