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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Bioenergy Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #324322
Title: Biological pretreatment of corn stover with white-rot fungus for enzymatic hydrolysis and bioethanol production

Author
item Saha, Badal
item Kennedy, Gregory - Greg
item Qureshi, Nasib
item Cotta, Michael

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/25/2016
Publication Date: 4/25/2016
Citation: Saha, B.C., Kennedy, G.J., Qureshi, N., Cotta, M.A. 2016. Biological pretreatment of corn stover with white-rot fungus for enzymatic hydrolysis and bioethanol production [abstract]. Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 2-7

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Pretreatment, as the first step towards conversion of lignocellulosic feedstocks to biofuels and/or chemicals remains one of the main barriers to commercial success. Typically, harsh methods are used to pretreat lignocellulosic biomass prior to its breakdown to sugars by enzymes, which also result in fermentation inhibitor formation. An alternative to harsh chemicals is biological pretreatment to break down or remove lignin from the holocellulose surface. We have screened 26 white-rot fungal strains using corn stover as feedstock for powerful ability to remove lignin from it with minimum loss of cellulose and hemicellulose. We have then optimized the biological pretreatment of corn stover using the selected Phlebia brevispora for enzymatic saccharification to sugars. The production of fuel ethanol from the pretreated corn stover by fed-batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) using recombinants Escherichia coli strain FBR5 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain YRH400 was investigated. The results of this work will be described. The problems of developing a large scale biological pretreatment using white-rot fungus and future directions of research will be outlined.