SBIR Phase I: Designer Cellulases for Biomass Conversion

0419067科尔曼这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目提出了使用“定向进化”来改善纤维素酶的性质，以用于木材制浆过程。目前用于将木片和其它生物质转化为纸纤维的方法是高度能量密集的热方法。纤维素酶可以降低能量需求，但热不稳定并且通常具有缓慢的水解速率。通过定向进化、微生物突变和快速筛选改良酶，将开发一种产生更热稳定、更快作用的酶的微生物菌株。该项目的商业应用将提高木材制浆过程的能源效率。改进的酶将用于促进纤维素分解和减少工艺能量需求。据估计，减少10%的能源投入每年将在全世界节省约3亿美元。从本研究中获得的信息也可以应用于其他类似的酶促过程。

0419067ColemanThis Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes the use of "directed evolution" to improve the properties of cellulose enzymes for use in the wood pulping process. The current process for converting wood chips and other biomass to paper fibers is a highly energy intensive thermal process. Cellulases can reduce the energy requirements, but are thermally unstable and have generally slow hydrolysis rates. Directed evolution, microbial mutation and rapid screening for improved enzymes, will be used to develop a microbial strain producing more thermally stable, faster acting enzymes.The commercial application of this project will be to improve the energy efficiency of the wood pulping process. Improved enzymes will be used to facilitate cellulose breakdown and reduce process energy requirements. It is estimated that a 10% reduction in energy input would save about $300 million worldwide annually. The information gained from this study could also be applied to other similar enzymatic processes.