Discovery, characterization and applications testing of fungal enzymes for white biotechnology

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Being the most abundant global source of renewable biomass, plant derived lignocellulose is an attractive feedstock for the production of biofuels and chemicals. Enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated feedstocks is presently the most effective method for converting the large polymers present in lignocellulose biomass into the small molecules used for chemicals and biofuels production. A goal of this proposal is to identify enzymes and accessory proteins that enhance the enzymatic conversion of pretreated lignocellulose feedstocks into the simple sugars needed for the production of chemicals and biofuels. We are also interested in lignocellulose active enzymes and accessory proteins that have applications in the pulp and paper, textiles, grain and feed industries. Our approach for discovering enzymes with applications in these areas will be to clone, biochemically characterize and perform industrially relevant applications testing on proteins that have potential commercial application in areas of interest to our industrial partner, Iogen Inc. Iogen's areas of commercial interest are; biofuels, pulp and paper, textiles, grain and feed. New enzymes and accessory proteins will be expressed as secreted proteins using either Aspergillus niger or Pichia pastoris.