Biotechnological production of xylitol from the mixture of sugarcane bagasse and straw with utilization of molasses: optimization of cultivation conditions and engineering of the metabolic pathway

• Grant number: 16/05971-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: October 01, 2016
• End date: July 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Maria das Graças de Almeida Felipe
• Grantee: Andrés Felipe Hernández Pérez
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project proposes the development of a biotechnological process concerning the xylitol production based upon the utilization of sugarcane bagasse, straw and molasses, aiming at the integration of this bioprocess with the sugar and alcohol process in the context of a biorefinery. Significant progresses achieved in xylitol production from different lignocellulosic biomasses in the "Escola de Engenharia de Lorena - USP", mainly with sugarcane bagasse and the yeast Candida guilliermondii FTI 20037, will be used. Recently results from research supported by FAPESP (process 2013/27142-0) revealed the benefic effect of sucrose on xylitol production in sugarcane straw hemicellulosic hydrolysate medium, which justify the continuity of research. Therefore, this project aims to the utilization of sugarcane bagasse, straw and molasses from the study of optimization of the cultivation conditions and engineering of the metabolic pathway in order to obtain concomitant increases on the xylose-to-xylitol bioconversion efficiency and xylitol volumetric productivity employing the yeast C. guilliermondii FTI 20037. The parameters oxygen supply, initial concentrations of xylose, sucrose and inoculum will be studied, followed by the evaluation of the nutritional supplementation of the hydrolyzate with sugarcane molasses, in substitution of sucrose and as an additional source of nitrogenous and mineral compounds. Regarding to engineering of the metabolic pathway, C. guilliermondii FTI 20037 will be sequentially transformed by the attenuation of the Xylitol Dehydrogenase enzyme, overexpression of the Xylose Reductase, Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase and 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase enzymes, and attenuation of the Phosphoglucose Isomerase, aiming the improvement of the xylose-to-xylitol reduction, the accumulation of this product and the NADPH regeneration in the sugarcane bagasse and straw mixture hydrolyzate supplemented with molasses. It is expected that the results of this project will contribute to the diversification of the products of the sugar and alcohol sector, considering the utilization of both sugarcane bagasse and straw as feedstocks with incorporation of molasses in the fermentation media, having xylitol as bioproduct of high value in the context of a biorefinery. (AU)

Scientific publications

(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)

HERNANDEZ-PEREZ, ANDRES FELIPE; DE ARRUDA, PRISCILA VAZ; SENE, LUCIANE; DA SILVA, SILVIO SILVERIO; CHANDEL, ANUJ KUMAR; DE ALMEIDA FELIPE, MARIA DAS GRACAS. Xylitol bioproduction: state-of-the-art, industrial paradigm shift, and opportunities for integrated biorefineries. CRITICAL REVIEWS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, v. 39, n. 7, JULY 2019. (16/22179-0, 16/10636-8, 16/05971-2)

HERNANDEZ-PEREZ, ANDRES FELIPE; CHAVES-VILLAMIL, ALEJANDRA CAMILA; DE ARRUDA, PRISCILA VAZ; DOS SANTOS, JULIO CESAR; FELIPE, MARIA DAS GRACAS DE ALMEIDA. Sugarcane Syrup Improves Xylitol Bioproduction from Sugarcane Bagasse and Straw Hemicellulosic Hydrolysate. WASTE AND BIOMASS VALORIZATION, v. 11, n. 8, p. 4215-4224, AUG 2020. (16/22179-0, 16/05971-2)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

PÉREZ, Andrés Felipe Hernández. Biotechnological production of xylitol from the mixture of sugarcane bagasse and straw using molasses: Optimization of culture conditions and engineering of the metabolic pathway. 2019. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL/ASDI) Lorena.