I-Corps: Commercialization of enzyme platforms for biofuels production enhancement

该研究小组开发了一种耐热耐酸的移动酶固定平台(MESP)系统，能够提高处理后的木质纤维底物的解构效率。目前的研究重点是准备该技术用于第二代生物乙醇生产过程，也可以用于玉米为基础的生产(第一代)。这项技术提高了酶介导的过程的效率，这种过程可以解构经过预处理的原料，并将复杂的碳水化合物转化为简单的可发酵糖。研究小组计划将MESP技术从实验室规模的系统升级为具有潜在潜力的工业系统；加快开发用于木质纤维(第二代)生产过程的第二代MESP原型。MESP系统的使用可以为第一代生物乙醇生产商带来显著节省，并为第二代产品打开市场。此外，mESP通过为高效原料分解提供另一种选择，使木质纤维为基础的生物燃料(第二代)能够得到更广泛的生产。I-Corps团队还将探索在生物修复和食品生产中使用mESP的机会。

The research team has developed a thermostable and acidotolerant mobile enzyme sequestration platform (mESP) system capable of enhancing deconstruction efficiency of pretreated lignocellulosic substrates. The current research is focused on preparing this technology for use in 2nd-generation bioethanol production processes, and can also be employed in corn-based (1st-generation) production. The technology enhances the efficiency of enzyme-mediated processes that deconstruct pretreated feedstock and convert complex carbohydrates to simple fermentable sugars. The research team plans to upscale mESP technology from a laboratory-scale system to an industrial system that can potentially; accelerate the development second generation mESP prototypes for lignocellulosic (2nd-generation) production processes.The use of mESP systems can result in significant savings for 1st-generation bioethanol producers and open markets for 2nd-generation products. Additionally, mESPs enable wider-spread production of lignocellulosic-based biofuels (2nd generation) by providing another option for high efficiency feedstock deconstruction. Opportunities to use mESPs in bioremediation and food production will also be explored by this I-Corps team.