| Grant number: | 16/22956-7 |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor |
| Effective date (Start): | February 01, 2017 |
| Effective date (End): | January 31, 2018 |
| Field of knowledge: | Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry |
| Principal Investigator: | Munir Salomao Skaf |
| Grantee: | Rodrigo Leandro Silveira |
| Supervisor: | Gregg Beckham |
| Host Institution: | Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil |
| Research place: | National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), United States |
| Associated to the scholarship: | 14/10448-1 - Molecular aspects of plant cell wall architecture, BP.PD |
Abstract Lignocellulosic biomass constitutes an enormous source of biopolymers that can be used for producing biofuels and valuable chemicals. Due to the plant cell walls' natural resistance against degradation (recalcitrance), enzymatic cocktails currently employed to depolymerize its components are not effective on broad-scale applications. Lignin-carbohydrate complexes (LCC) - covalent links between hemicellulose and lignin - are major contributors to lignocellulosic biomass recalcitrance. The presence of LCCs in biomass severely decreases its digestibility. Feruloyl esterases (FAE), secreted by cellulolytic fungi, cleave LCC ester bonds and release lignin from the hemicellulose. FAEs act as accessory enzymes, which, by disrupting LCCs, help glycoside hydrolases and oxidative enzymes to get in contact with their target substrates, leading to enhanced biomass degradation. Here, we propose to apply modern hybrid QM/MM (quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics) computer simulation techniques to elucidate the enzymatic mechanism of FAEs on LCCs. The proposed studies will help constructing a rational basis for enzyme engineering aimed at enhancing biomass conversion rates. The project will be conducted at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory/USA (NREL), whose outstanding team of researchers has long been making efforts to fully understand mechanisms of cell wall active enzymes by means of state-of-the-art computational chemistry techniques. Currently, there is already ongoing collaboration between our group at Unicamp and NREL, and we aim to further strengthen joint efforts towards elucidating molecular aspects of biomass conversion in the ambit of the Center for Computational Engineering & Sciences (CEPID, 2013/08293-7). (AU) | |
| Matéria(s) publicada(s) na Revista Pesquisa FAPESP sobre a bolsa:: | |
| Reutilizar, reemplazar, degradar | |
| Reuse, replace, degrade | |
| News published in Agência FAPESP Newsletter about the scholarship: | |
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