Currently, due to rapid developments in gene editing, more and more chemicals and materials can be synthesized through fermentation processes using engineered microorganisms. In order to make these processes scalable and cost-effective, cheaper substrates other than traditional food-based feedstock (corn, sugarcane, etc.) need to be used. Lignocellulosic biomass (agriculture residues, municipal solid wastes, etc.) has great potential as an economical feedstock. It has three main components: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Cellulose and hemicellulose are polysaccharides that can be converted into sugars as substrates for microorganisms. Lignin is a phenolic polymer that can be converted into aromatics or organic acids. But the conversion of carbon polymers in lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable substrates (like sugars or acids) has great challenges. Due to the complex structure of biomass, this conversion process may generate byproducts that are toxic to microorganisms, which must be minimized or removed before fermentation.
This research topic aims to find efficient conversion strategies of lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable substrates. Recently, advanced pretreatment methods and/or enzymes have been investigated for the effective conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose. The obtained sugar stream needs to be not toxic to microorganisms and able to be efficiently converted into bioproducts/biomaterials through fermentation processes. We are also interested in the valorization of lignin, which counts up to 30% of lignocellulosic biomass. For example, new chemical or biological methods to convert lignin into bioproducts/biomaterials directly or firstly produce fermentable substrates followed by fermentation processes for the production of final products fits well in our scope. Through this research topic, we are hoping to find the future directions of lignocellulosic biomass conversion and make more fermentation processes scalable and closer to real-life industrial production.
We invite the submission of Original Research, Review, Mini Review, Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• New chemical or biological methods to convert cellulose and hemicellulose directly into biofuels/bioproducts/biomaterials;
• New pretreatment methods or new enzymes discovered to convert cellulose and hemicellulose efficiently into fermentable sugars;
• Engineering microorganisms to convert sugars obtained from biomass to biofuels biochemicals/biomaterials;
• New chemical or biological methods to convert lignin directly into biofuels/bioproducts/biomaterials;
• Convert lignin into biofuels/bioproducts/biomaterials through fermentation processes, for example, first into fermentable substrates (aromatics/organic acids).
• Engineering microorganisms to convert lignin-derived products.
Currently, due to rapid developments in gene editing, more and more chemicals and materials can be synthesized through fermentation processes using engineered microorganisms. In order to make these processes scalable and cost-effective, cheaper substrates other than traditional food-based feedstock (corn, sugarcane, etc.) need to be used. Lignocellulosic biomass (agriculture residues, municipal solid wastes, etc.) has great potential as an economical feedstock. It has three main components: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Cellulose and hemicellulose are polysaccharides that can be converted into sugars as substrates for microorganisms. Lignin is a phenolic polymer that can be converted into aromatics or organic acids. But the conversion of carbon polymers in lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable substrates (like sugars or acids) has great challenges. Due to the complex structure of biomass, this conversion process may generate byproducts that are toxic to microorganisms, which must be minimized or removed before fermentation.
This research topic aims to find efficient conversion strategies of lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable substrates. Recently, advanced pretreatment methods and/or enzymes have been investigated for the effective conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose. The obtained sugar stream needs to be not toxic to microorganisms and able to be efficiently converted into bioproducts/biomaterials through fermentation processes. We are also interested in the valorization of lignin, which counts up to 30% of lignocellulosic biomass. For example, new chemical or biological methods to convert lignin into bioproducts/biomaterials directly or firstly produce fermentable substrates followed by fermentation processes for the production of final products fits well in our scope. Through this research topic, we are hoping to find the future directions of lignocellulosic biomass conversion and make more fermentation processes scalable and closer to real-life industrial production.
We invite the submission of Original Research, Review, Mini Review, Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• New chemical or biological methods to convert cellulose and hemicellulose directly into biofuels/bioproducts/biomaterials;
• New pretreatment methods or new enzymes discovered to convert cellulose and hemicellulose efficiently into fermentable sugars;
• Engineering microorganisms to convert sugars obtained from biomass to biofuels biochemicals/biomaterials;
• New chemical or biological methods to convert lignin directly into biofuels/bioproducts/biomaterials;
• Convert lignin into biofuels/bioproducts/biomaterials through fermentation processes, for example, first into fermentable substrates (aromatics/organic acids).
• Engineering microorganisms to convert lignin-derived products.
