SusChEM: Design of Ionic-Liquid-Biocatalyst Systems for Production of Platform Chemicals and Intermediates Directly from Plant Biomass

未来，为了使生物精炼厂经济地运作，它们将需要一个整合的过程，完全利用木质纤维素生物质中的所有碳，包括纤维素、半纤维素和木质素，以生产生物燃料、生物化学品和生物材料。然而，生物质很难加工。离子液体预处理是一项新兴的生物质处理技术。为了成功商业化，这项技术必须克服重大障碍，即ILs的成本、回收费用和对生物催化剂的一般毒性。为了解决这些障碍，提出的研究目标是开发新的高相容性il生物催化剂系统，用于同时糖化和发酵（SSF-IL）木质纤维素生物质转化为高价值有机化学品（HVOs）。具体来说，该团队将从根本上研究和优化解脂耶氏菌的高IL耐受性，这是一种通常被认为是安全的产油酵母，可以在至少10%的IL溶液中茁壮成长并进行有效的生物转化。该团队还将阐明和优化聚脂酵母的代谢，以有效地共同利用葡萄糖和木糖（木质纤维素生物质的主要糖）。最后，该团队将开发高度兼容的il生物催化剂系统，以增强木质纤维素杂交杨树（一种潜在的生物能源作物）转化为高价值有机物，特别是通过SSF-IL转化为α -酮戊二酸。该项目将获得对工程il -生物催化剂系统如何将难降解的生物质转化为有价值的生物燃料、生物化学品和生物材料的基本理解，并展示一种非常规、经济、有竞争力的综合生物炼制模式。它将通过利用可再生、可持续和国内木质纤维素生物质代替化石燃料，为能源独立、安全和更绿色的环境提供一条有希望的可持续道路。该项目还将提供教育组成部分，包括在生物质转化、生物催化、系统生物学和代谢工程领域培训博士后、研究生和（少数族裔）本科生。此外，外联将包括让本科生参与PI自2012年以来组织的国际基因工程机械（iGEM）计划，以及为K-12学生组织夏季讲习班，这些学生将接触到催化和生物催化的各个方面，以解决具有挑战性的能源相关问题。该项目由美国国家科学基金会刺激竞争性研究实验计划（EPSCoR）共同资助。

In the future, for biorefineries to operate economically, they will require an integrated process with the complete use of all carbons in the lignocellulosic biomass including cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin to produce biofuels, biochemicals, and biomaterials. Biomass is difficult to process, however. Ionic liquid (IL) pretreatment is an emerging technology that aids biomass processing. For its successful commercialization, this technology must overcome significant barriers, namely cost of the ILs, recycling expense, and general toxicity to biocatalysts. To tackle these barriers, the objective of the proposed research is to develop novel highly-compatible IL-biocatalyst systems for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF-IL) of lignocellulosic biomass into high-value organic chemicals (HVOs). Specifically, the team will fundamentally study and optimize high IL-tolerance of Yarrowia lipolytica, a generally regarded-as-safe oleaginous yeast, that can thrive and perform efficient biotransformation in at least a 10% IL solution. The team will also elucidate and optimize Y. lipolytica metabolism for efficient co-utilization of glucose and xylose, the major sugars of lignocellulosic biomass. Finally, the team will develop highly compatible IL-biocatalyst systems for enhanced conversion of lignocellulosic hybrid poplar (a potential bioenergy crop), into high-value organics, specifically alpha-ketoglutaric acid via SSF-IL.The project will gain fundamental understanding of how the engineered IL-biocatalyst system can transform recalcitrant biomass into valuable biofuels, biochemicals, and biomaterials, and demonstrate a model for an unconventional, economical, and competitive integrated biorefinery. It will present a promising sustainable pathway for energy independence, security, and a greener environment by utilizing renewable, sustainable, and domestic lignocellulosic biomass instead of fossil fuels. The project will also provide educational components including training of postdoctoral, graduate and (underrepresented minority) undergraduate students in the areas of biomass conversion, biocatalysis, systems biology, and metabolic engineering. In addition, outreach will involve engaging undergraduate students in the Internationally Genetically Engineered Machinery (iGEM) program that the PI has organized since 2012 as well as organizing summer workshops for K-12 students who will be exposed to various aspects of Catalysis and Biocatalysis to address challenging energy-related problems. The project is co-funded by the NSF Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).