Role of Lignin in Biochemical Conversion of Lignocellulose Biomass into Fuels and Biochemicals

在将木质纤维素材料如木材和农业残留物生化转化为燃料和化学品的典型过程中，必须去除半纤维素或木质素，使得纤维素酶可以更容易地接近纤维素分子。木质素占植物质量的20%-30%，因物种而异。木质素充当限制纤维素酶接近纤维素的物理屏障;并且木质素和木质素衍生物也与纤维素酶结合，所谓的非生产性结合。本研究的目的是获得基本的了解如何木质素在基板上影响生物质转化。具体而言，EM，XPS，CLSM，AFM将被用来确定木质素预处理后的重新分布，并在我们的实验室专门设计的AFM系统将被用来研究纤维素酶和木质素之间的相互作用力。木质素含量，木质素分布，以及不同类型的木质素在底物和水解系统中的组成将被研究其对底物降解的贡献。

In a typical process of biochemical conversion of lignocellulose materials such as wood and agriculture residues into fuels and chemicals, either hemicellulose or lignin has to be removed so that cellulase can access cellulose molecules more easily. Lignin makes up 20%-30% of plant mass varying with species. Lignin acts as a physical barriers restricting access of cellulases to cellulose; and lignin and lignin derivatives also bind with cellulase, so called non-productive binding. The objective of this study is to obtain fundamental understanding of how lignin in the substrate affects biomass conversion. Specifically, EM, XPS, CLSM, AFM will be used to determine the redistribution of lignin after a pretreatment, and a specially designed AFM system in our lab will be used to study the interactive forces between cellulases and lignin. Lignin content, lignin distribution, and the composition of different types of lignin in substrates and in hydrolysis systems will be investigated for its contribution to substrate recalcitrance.