Populational dynamics and interactions between yeasts in fermentations of molasses and hydrolysates from sugarcane bagasse

• Grant number: 13/15082-2
• Support Opportunities: Program for Research on Bioenergy (BIOEN) - Regular Program Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2014
• End date: April 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Cecilia Laluce
• Grantee: Cecilia Laluce
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Édison Pecoraro ; Eduardo Maffud Cilli ; Hernane da Silva Barud ; Sidney José Lima Ribeiro ; Younes Messaddeq

Abstract

The search for yeasts tolerant to high temperatures is becoming increasingly important due to the climatic changes and decreases in environmental water caused by increases in earth temperatures. Ethanol production of both first and second generation is a complex process constituted by long lasting open fermentations processes with cell reuse. Cells are exposed for months to a succession of oscillatory stress conditions that are aggravated by the progression of the harvesting season. Molecular techniques able to distinguish starter yeasts from other yeasts within the process at strain level suggest that the process can be better understood and controlled. Such techniques also allow the identification of genetic variants resulting from adaptations and/or mutations induced by the process conditions. The challenges of the present work are: to develop strains more stable to the aggressive environments; the using a simplified procedure based on genetic techniques methodologies for monitoring the fermentation process; association between mild physical/chemical procedures to the enzymatic hydrolysis aiming to reduce the amount of enzymatic cocktail as used today. (AU)