University of Illinois

Biotechnology Research and Development Corporation

Zuchem, Inc.

Ryan Woodyer

Huimin Zhao

Wilfred A Van Der Donk

Nikhil Unni Nair

Michael Simurdiak

Michael Racine

William W Metcalf

Tyler Johnannes

Materials and methods are described to produce xylitol from a mixture of hemicellulosic sugars by several routes. Examples include either as a direct co-product of a biorefinery or ethanol facility, or as a stand-alone product produced from an agricultural or forestry biomass feedstock including using, e.g. ethanol waste streams.

Production of xylitol from a mixture of hemicellulosic sugars

A new xylose reductase encoding gene fromwas heterologously expressed inas a His-tag fusion protein and subsequently purified in high yield. This xylose reductase was shown to have a high turnover rate and catalytic efficiency, high stability at room temperature, broad pH profile, and a preference of NADPH over NADH. This enzyme is utilized in production of xylitol and other sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and also in the metabolic enhancement of organisms used for fermentation of plant biomass into ethanol.

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Phosphite dehydrogenase mutant enzymes were generated that provide relaxed cofactor specificity and increased thermostability over the wild type enzyme. The mutant enzymes are useful for nicotinamide cofactor regeneration.

Phosphite dehydrogenase mutants for nicotinamide cofactor regeneration

Growing community of inventors

Champaign, IL, United States of America

Ryan Woodyer