Lallemand Hungary Liquidity Management LLC

Stellenbosch University

Mascoma Corporation

Danstar Ferment Ag

Enchi Corporation

Universiteit Stellenbosch

John E McBride

Elena E Brevnova

Erin Wiswall

Mark Mellon

Vineet Rajgarhia

Allan C Froehlich

Anne K Warner

Chhayal V Gandhi

Haowen Xu

Emily Stonehouse

Kristen M Deleault

Nicky Caiazza

Riaan Den Haan

Shital A Tripathi

John S Bardsley

Aaron Argyros

Charles F Rice

Heidi H Hau

Indraneel Shikhare

Trisha Barrett

Ryan Skinner

Kevin S Wenger

Frank Agbogbo

Vineet B Rajgarhia

Abigail Foster

Jennifer Gosselin

Yin-Ying Chiu

Alan Belcher

Arthur J Shaw, Iv

Alan Benjamin Gilbert

William Ryan Sillers

Merja Elisa Penttila

Matti Siika-Aho

Johannes Pieter Van Dijken

Marja Ilmen

David Anthony Hogsett

James H Flatt

Sanni Voutilainen

Jaana Uusitalo

Anu Koivula

Deidre Willes

Lee R Lynd

Emile Van Zyl

Shaunita Hellouise Rose

Danie Lagrange

Naomi Thorngren

Hans Van Dijken

Steve Licht

Chris Herring

Jim Flatt

Elena Brevnova

Heidi Lau

The present invention is directed to a yeast strain, or strains, secreting a full suite, or any subset of that full suite, of enzymes to hydrolyze corn starch, corn fiber, lignocellulose, (including enzymes that hydrolyze linkages in cellulose, hemicellulose, and between lignin and carbohydrates) and to utilize pentose sugars (xylose and arabinose). The invention is also directed to the set of proteins that are well expressed in yeast for each category of enzymatic activity. The resulting strain, or strains can be used to hydrolyze starch and cellulose simultaneously. The resulting strain, or strains can be also metabolically engineered to produce less glycerol and uptake acetate. The resulting strain, or strains can also be used to produce ethanol from granular starch without liquefaction. The resulting strain, or strains, can be further used to reduce the amount of external enzyme needed to hydrolyze a biomass feedstock during an Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) process, or to increase the yield of ethanol during SSF at current saccharolytic enzyme loadings. In addition, multiple enzymes of the present invention can be co-expressed in cells of the invention to provide synergistic digestive action on biomass feedstock. In some aspects, host cells expressing different heterologous saccharolytic enzymes can also be co-cultured together and used to produce ethanol from biomass feedstock.

Yeast expressing saccharolytic enzymes for consolidated bioprocessing using starch and cellulose

The present invention provides for novel metabolic pathways leading to propanol, alcohol or polyol formation in a consolidated bioprocessing system (CBP), where lignocellulosic biomass is efficiently converted to such products. More specifically, the invention provides for a recombinant microorganism, where the microorganism expresses one or more native and/or heterologous enzymes; where the one or more enzymes function in one or more engineered metabolic pathways to achieve: (1) conversion of a carbohydrate source to 1,2-propanediol, isopropropanol, ethanol and/or glycerol; (2) conversion of a carbohydrate source to n-propanol and isopropanol; (3) conversion of a carbohydrate source to isopropanol and methanol; or (4) conversion of a carbohydrate source to propanediol and acetone; wherein the one or more native and/or heterologous enzymes is activated, upregulated or downregulated.

Production of propanols, alcohols, and polyols in consolidated bioprocessing organisms

The present invention provides for heterologous expression of beta-glucosidase (BGL) polypeptides encoded by, orin host cells, such as the yeast. The expression in such host cells of the corresponding genes, and variants and combinations thereof, result in improved specific activity of the expressed BGL. Thus, such genes and expression systems are useful for efficient and cost-effective consolidated bioprocessing systems.

Expression of beta-glucosidases for hydrolysis of lignocellulose and associated oligomers

The present invention provides for heterologous expression of termite and termite-associated symbiont cellulases. The cellulases can, for example, be codon-optimized and expressed in yeast host cells, such as the yeast. The cellulases can also be co-expressed in host cells with other cellulases. The expression in such host cells of the termite and termite-associated symbiont cellulases, and variants and combinations thereof, result in yeast with improved cellulosic activity. Thus, such genes and expression systems are useful for efficient and cost-effective consolidated bioprocessing systems.

Heterologous expression of termite cellulases in yeast

The present invention is directed to the construction of prototrophic, cellulo lytic strains ofwith tethered and secreted cellulases and selection-based improvement of growth on cellulose by these strains. In some embodiments, host cells of the invention are able to produce ethanol using crystalline cellulose as a sole carbon source.

Construction of protrophic/celluloytic yeast strains expressing tethered and secreted cellulases

The present invention is directed to cellulytic host cells. The host cells of the invention expressing heterologous cellulases and are able to produce ethanol from cellulose. According to the invention, host cells expressing a combination of heterologous cellulases can be used to produce ethanol from cellulose. In addition, multiple host cells expressing different heterologous cellulases can be co-cultured together and used to produce ethanol from cellulose. Furthermore, the invention demonstrates for the first time the ability ofto produce ethanol from cellulose. The yeast strains and co-cultures of yeast strains of the invention can be used to produce ethanol on their own, or can also be used in combination with externally added cellulases to increase the efficiency of saccharification and fermentation processes.

Yeast expressing cellulases for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation using cellulose

The present invention provides a multi-component enzyme system that hydrolyzes hemicellulose oligomers from hardwood which can be expressed, for example, in yeast such as. In some embodiments, this invention provides for the engineering of a series of biocatalysts combining the expression and secretion of components of this enzymatic system with robust, rapid xylose utilization, and ethanol fermentation under industrially relevant process conditions for consolidated bioprocessing. In some embodiments, the invention utilizes co-cultures of strains that can achieve significantly improved performance due to the incorporation of additional enzymes in the fermentation system.

Expression of enzymes in yeast for lignocellulose derived oligomer CBP

One aspect of the invention relates to a genetically modified thermophilic or mesophilic microorganism, wherein a first native gene is partially, substantially, or completely deleted, silenced, inactivated, or down-regulated, which first native gene encodes a first native enzyme involved in the metabolic production of an organic acid or a salt thereof, thereby increasing the native ability of said thermophilic or mesophilic microorganism to produce lactate or acetate as a fermentation product. In certain embodiments, the aforementioned microorganism further comprises a first non-native gene, which first non-native gene encodes a first non-native enzyme involved in the metabolic production of lactate or acetate. Another aspect of the invention relates to a process for converting lignocellulosic biomass to lactate or acetate, comprising contacting lignocellulosic biomass with a genetically modified thermophilic or mesophilic microorganism.

Detoxification of biomass derived acetate via metabolic conversion to ethanol, acetone, isopropanol, or ethyl acetate

Growing community of inventors

Lyme, NH, United States of America

John E McBride