Xylitol-producing biorefinery from sugarcane: new strategies to make the biotechnological route viable

• Grant number: 19/27092-9
• Support Opportunities: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Regular Program Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2020
• End date: October 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Maria das Graças de Almeida Felipe
• Grantee: Maria das Graças de Almeida Felipe
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Andrés Felipe Hernández Pérez ; João Paulo Alves Silva ; Júlio César dos Santos ; Rocío Sierra Ramírez ; Tatiane da Franca Silva ; Valdeir Arantes

Abstract

Results from ongoing and recent research at EEL-USP (FAPESP: Processes 2013/27142-0 and 2016/22179-0) point to the technical feasibility of the biotechnological route for xylitol production by Candida guilliermondii FTI 20037 (recently identified as C. tropicalis) with the concomitant use of sugarcane bagasse and straw. However, there are still bottlenecks to be solved, such as the simplification and/or improvement of process steps, understanding of physiological and/or molecular aspects, combined with the study of technical and economic feasibility. Thus, this project aims to optimize the dilute acid hydrolysis conditions for the mixture of bagasse and straw, to evaluate the detoxification step of the hemicellulosic hydrolyzate by yeast adaptation and/or replacement of the use of active charcoal by the residual yeast biomass from the fermentative stage. Also, a new approach will be the study of the effects of toxic compounds by flow cytometry, allowing to evaluate the viability, complexity and cellular metabolic state, and molecular biology tools will be applied to study the transport mechanisms involved in xylose consumption. Furthermore, a cross-sectional approach and in cooperation with the "Grupo de Diseño de Produtos y Procesos" of the Universidad de Los Andes (Bogota, Colombia) will be the establishment of a platform for virtual simulation of the biotechnological xylitol production route for technical and economic analysis of the bioprocess. Results of this project are expected to contribute to the technical and economic feasibility of xylitol bioproduction through the joint use of sugarcane agroindustry byproducts, such as bagasse, straw and molasses, promoting integration in a sugarcane biorefinery in the context of the bioeconomy. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

QUEIROZ, SARAH S.; JOFRE, FANNY M.; MUSSATTO, I, SOLANGE; FELIPE, MARIA DAS GRACAS A.. caling up xylitol bioproduction: Challenges to achieve a profitable bioproces. RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS, v. 154, FEB 2022. (19/27092-9)

QUEIROZ, SARAH S.; OLIVA, BIANCA; SILVA, TATIANE F.; SEGATO, FERNANDO; FELIPE, MARIA G. A.. Integrated bioinformatics, modelling, and gene expression analysis of the putative pentose transporter from Candida tropicalis during xylose fermentation with and without glucose addition. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, v. N/A, p. 20-pg., 2022-06-16. (19/22284-7, 19/27092-9, 14/18714-2, 16/22179-0, 19/06663-8)

BIANCHINI, ITALO DE ANDRADE; JOFRE, FANNY MACHADO; QUEIROZ, SARAH DE SOUZA; LACERDA, TALITA MARTINS; FELIPE, MARIA DAS GRACAS DE ALMEIDA. Relation of xylitol formation and lignocellulose degradation in yeast. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, v. 107, n. 10, p. 9-pg., 2023-04-11. (19/27092-9)

JOFRE, FANNY MACHADO; HERNANDEZ-PEREZ, ANDRES FELIPE; DOS SANTOS, JULIO CESAR; DE ALMEIDA FELIPE, MARIA DAS GRACAS. Use of dry yeast biomass as a new approach for detoxification of hemicellulosic hydrolysates aiming to xylitol production. INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS, v. 170, OCT 15 2021. (19/27092-9)