Investigation of plant biomass conversion in termite Coptotermes gestroi complementary to glycosyl hydrolases aiming at bioproducts formation derived from lignocellulosic biomass.

Abstract

Bioproducts are considered a clean and sustainable energy product, and the transformation of plant cell wall polysaccharides into fermentable sugars are the main challenges of this production chain. The use of carbohydrate-active proteins in this procedure is extremely important and characterization of new genes and enzymes complementary to this approach will be of great interesting for the improvement and development of this economic activity. Termites play an important role in the cycling of carbon and nitrogen in the environment. Being responsible for about 90% degradation of plant matter-dry tropical forests, these termites are considered ecologically as a natural bioreactor for conversion of lignocellulosic materials into sugars that are the foundation of their nutrition. Termite enzymes - endogenous and symbiotics - have been extensively characterized in the literature, which has brought evidences that other mechanisms may also act complementing the actions of glycosyl hydrolases in termite digestome. Thus, the main objective of this project is to investigate, in the termite Coptotermes gestroi, the occurrence of fenton degradation components and identifying possible genes / proteins / enzymes related to this phenomenon as well as described to fungi in its degradation of lignocellulosic biomass.