Development of an enzymatic cocktail for application in biorefinery

Abstract

The use of ethanol as fuel has advantages as it is an inexhaustible energy source and because ethanol combustion lead to reduced CO2 emissions compared to fossil fuels. The production of bioethanol mainly uses molasses from sugar cane, discarding the pulp. The pulp, or bagasse, is a residue rich in cellulose and hemicellulose, that is why it can also be used for ethanol production, the so-called second generation ethanol. Thus, this work aims to develop an enzymatic cocktail containing cellulolytic and xylanolytic enzymes that can be used on bagasse pre-treated, releasing sugars that can be used by yeasts, such as Saccharomyces, for the production of bioethanol. The use of an enzymatic mix, using enzymes that will be cloned and expressed in filamentous fungi, and the fact they can be reused, because it will be immobilized in chemical supports, is an innovation in the research of our group and therefore has much to contribute to scientific growth in our laboratory. This project is inserted into the theme promoted by FAPESP, National Institute of Biotechnology for Ethanol, under the coordination of Professor Dr. Marcos Silveira Buckeridge, in partnership with CNPq - Announcement of the National Science, Technology and Innovation.