The demand for lowering the cost biomaterials and bioprocesses has prompted efforts to convert lignocellulosic biomass to valuable products such as biofuels, chemicals, and animal feed. Recalcitrance to saccharification is a major limitation for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to cellulosic ethanol and valuable end products. The enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulose is considered the most viable strategy to produce sugars and other end products. This requires a consortium of lignocellulosic deconstruction enzymes which act synergistically for its complete deconstruction/degradation. Lignocellulose deconstructing enzymes are widely used by many industries to produce fuels and chemicals. This process is costly, incomplete, and often produces toxic byproducts which is a significant biotechnological challenge to developing sustainable technologies. In Phase I, Guild BioSciences will isolate lignocellulosic deconstructing protein complex(s) from white rot fungi composed of both hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes capable of deconstructing/degrading all components of lignocellulose to sugars and other end products. We will purify these complex(es)fromspentmushroomsubstratebyanionexchangeandgel filtration chromatography. The purified protein complex(s) will be characterized functionally to demonstrate various hydrolytic and oxidative enzyme activities. These complexes will have an advantage in the degradation of obstinate lignocellulosic materials as they will facilitate cooperative actions of extremely strong hydrolyzing and oxidative enzymes and open new avenues for various downstream applications.
