Influence of Enzymatic Cocktails on Conversion of Agricultural Lignocellulose to Fermentable Sugars

Abstract

Agricultural lignocellulosic biomass is regarded as an important source of biofuels, especially bioethanol and biohydrogen. The following aspects have been studied: the effect of type of substrate used in production of cellulolytic enzymes, the activity of several enzymatic cocktails used to hydrolyse three types of agricultural biomass and the influence of provenience of enzymatic cocktails on sugars yields in the hydrolysis process. Fungi investigated in this study (T. longibrachiatum DSM 769) release higher titter of enzymes when raw, unpretreated agriculture residual biomass is used as substrate and inducer for biosynthesis of cellulolytic enzymes. Cellulolytic enzymes produced in culture media containing a certain type of agricultural lignocellulosic biomass as substrate, can be used in hydrolysis of other types of agricultural lignocellulosic biomass with similar sugar yields. Cellulases produced in culture media containing purified crystalline cellulose as substrate does not contain all necessary types of enzymes to hydrolyze lignocellulosic complex from agricultural biomass to produce high yields of sugars. On-site production of cellulases can be an effective approach biorefinery of lignocellulose to produce biofuels or other biochemicals by fermentation.