Construction of the Biological Saccharification Process from Lignocellulosic Biomass Using a Filamentous Fungus...

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Enzymology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Cellulase production and enzymatic saccharification are crucial for biomass conversion.
• Trichoderma reesei is a well-established and efficient producer of cellulase enzymes.
• Integrating enzyme production with saccharification can streamline bioprocesses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a combined biological saccharification process using Trichoderma reesei.
• To optimize key factors for enhanced sugar yield from lignocellulosic biomass.
• To compare the efficiency of this aerobic fungal process with anaerobic methods.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an aerobic fungus, Trichoderma reesei M2-1 strain, for simultaneous enzyme production and saccharification.
• Employed a two-phase process: fungal growth at 28°C and saccharification at 50°C.
• Optimized parameters included mycelial inoculum size and growth phase duration.

Main Results:

• Achieved 74.5% sugar yield from alkali-treated rice straw and 60.6% from microcrystalline cellulose after 120 hours.
• Demonstrated higher sugar yields in a shorter timeframe compared to anaerobic processes.
• Identified significant variability in sugar yields influenced by feedstock characteristics.

Conclusions:

• The developed biological saccharification process using Trichoderma reesei is effective for sugar production from biomass.
• Optimization of inoculum size and growth period significantly impacts sugar yields.
• The non-GM fungal strain offers an advantageous alternative to anaerobic microbial processes for biomass saccharification.