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

在木质纤维素材料(如木材和农业废弃物)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，以便纤维素酶更容易获得纤维素分子。木质素占植物质量的20%-30%，因物种不同而不同。木质素是限制纤维素酶与纤维素酶结合的物理屏障，木质素及其衍生物也与纤维素酶结合，即所谓的非生产性结合。本研究的目的是从根本上了解基质中的木质素是如何影响生物质转化的。具体地说，我们将使用EM、XPS、CLSM、AFM来确定木质素在预处理后的再分布，并将使用我们实验室专门设计的AFM系统来研究纤维素酶和木质素之间的相互作用力。木质素的含量，木质素的分布，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，以确定其对底物抵抗的贡献。

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.