Sekab E-technology Ab

Swetree Technologies Ab

Leif Jönsson

Björn Alriksson

Magnus Hertzberg

David Jonsén

Pär Jonsson

Linus Möller

Göran Sandberg

Jarmo Schrader

Karin Johansson

Madhavi Latha Gandla

Rishikesh Bhalerao

Sune Wännström

Venkata Prabhakar Soudhama

Venkata Prabhakar Soudham

Adnan Cavka

The invention relates to a method for producing a genetically modified plant or woody plant with improved growth properties (in terms of biomass and wood quality) as compared to a corresponding non-genetically modified wild type plant or woody plant, said method comprising altering the level of expression of a polypeptide in a plant cell or woody plant cell; a plant or woody plant; or a part thereof.

Woody plants having improved growth properties

The invention relates to a method for producing a genetically modified woody plant with improved growth properties (in terms of biomass and/or wood density) as compared to a corresponding non-genetically modified wild type plant or woody plant, said method comprising altering the level of expression of a polypeptide in a woody plant cell; a woody plant; or a part thereof.

The present invention relates to a method of enzymatic hydrolysis of a lignocellulosic material, comprising the steps of: a) pretreating the lignocellulosic material to obtain a slurry having a pH of less than 6; b) adding NaOH, Ca(OH)and/or CaO to the slurry to increase its pH to at least 8, said addition being carried out at a slurry temperature of at least 60&#xb0; C.; c) reducing the pH of the slurry to below 7; and optionally cooling the slurry from step b) to a temperature below 60&#xb0; C.; and d) adding hydrolytic enzymes to the slurry from c) and allowing the slurry to hydrolyze wherein no washing of the slurry is performed prior to step d).

Methods for improvement of enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellullosic material

A method is provided for improving enzymatic hydrolysis in saccharification of a lignocellulosic material. The method is comprising pretreating the lignocellulosic material to obtain a slurry of pretreated lignocellulosic material; adding at least one reducing agent to the slurry of pretreated lignocellulosic material or the liquid fraction thereof to decrease the enzymatic hydrolysis inhibitory properties of slurry of the pretreated lignocellulosic material or the liquid fraction thereof; and subjecting the slurry of pretreated lignocellulosic material or the liquid fraction thereof to enzymatic hydrolysis in the presence of the at least one reducing agent.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic material in the presence of sulfite, dithionite and/or dithiothreitol

The present invention provides a method for decreasing the fermentation inhibition in a fermentation of cellulose-derived material in a fermentor, wherein fermentation inhibitory properties of the material subjected to fermentation is decreased by an addition of at least one reducing agent to the fermentor. Further, there is provided a method of increasing the fermentability of a fermentation process comprising the steps of measuring the fermentability of the fermentation process and if the fermentability is below a reference value, then adding at least one reducing agent to the fermentation process.

In situ detoxification of fermentation inhibitors with reducing agents

The present invention provides a method for decreasing the fermentation inhibition in a process for producing a target chemical from a pretreated cellulosic material, the process comprising enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated cellulosic material and fermentation of hydrolysed material, wherein the fermentation inhibitory properties of the material subjected to fermentation is decreased by an addition of at least one reducing agent to the pretreated material or hydrolysed material. Moreover, the present invention provides the use of dithionite for decreasing the fermentation inhibitory properties of a material being subjected to simultaneous enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation.

Detoxification with reducing agents

A method for preparing a target chemical derivable from cellulosic biomass, involving detoxification of spent hydrolysate is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing cellulosic biomass, subjecting the cellulosic biomass to aqueous pretreatment, aqueous hydrolysis, and fermentation under conditions in which at least a part of the fermentable sugars are fermented into a primary target chemical, separating the primary target chemical from the fermented hydrolysate to provide a spent hydrolysate comprising inhibitory substances and detoxifying the spent hydrolysate by decreasing the concentration of at least one of the inhibitory substances using a detoxification biocatalyst selected from the group consisting of wild type, mutant and recombinant filamentous fungi and recirculating at least a part of the detoxified spent hydrolysate, optionally after further purification.

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Umeå, Sweden

Leif Jönsson