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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Crop Bioprotection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #150034
Title: IDENTIFICATION OF SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE GENES INVOLVED IN TOLERANCE OF FERMENTATION INHIBITORS

Author
item Gorsich, Steven
item Slininger, Patricia - Pat
item Liu, Zonglin

Submitted to: Society of Industrial Microbiology Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/14/2003
Publication Date: 8/11/2003
Citation: Gorsich, S.W., Slininger, P.J., Liu, Z. 2003. Identification of saccharomyces cerevisiae genes involved in tolerance of fermentation inhibitors. Society of Industrial Microbiology Annual Meeting.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Lignocellulose is potentially a low-cost substrate for fermentative production of ethanol for biofuels. However, simple sugars released during acid hydrolysis of lignocellulose are not readily fermentable by common industrial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae. S. cerevisiae cells readily ferment glucose but are unable to ferment xylose unless Pichia stipitis xylose metabolizing genes are present. Moreover, acid hydrolysis produces fermentation inhibitors, which include furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and acetic acid. A screen of a S. cerevisiae deletion library was performed to identify genes that may be utilized to improve ethanol and hydrolysate inhibitor tolerance. Cell growth for each mutant and wild type was compared in the absence or presence of inhibitors (50mM furfural, 50mM HMF, 100mM acetic acid, or 10% ethanol in YPD). Mutants that displayed either a significant increase or decrease in growth were isolated. Isolated mutants will be fully characterized in efforts to engineer a S. cerevisiae strain that is more efficient at fermenting sugars to ethanol in the presence of inhibitors produced from acid hydrolysis of lignocellulose.