ARS | Publication request: ENHANCED BIOTRANSFORMATION OF FURFURAL AND 5-HYDROXYMETHYLFURFURAL BY NEWLY DEVELOPED ETHANOLOGENIC YEAST STRAINS

Submitted to: Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: May 9, 2004
Publication Date: May 9, 2004
Citation: Liu, Z., Slininger, P.J., Gorsich, S.W. 2004. Enhanced biotransformation of furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural by newly developed ethanologenic yeast strains [abstract]. 26th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. Abstract No. 2-40. p. 153.

Technical Abstract: Furfural and 5-hydroxymethyfurfural (HMF) are representative inhibitors among many inhibitive compounds derived from biomass degradation and saccharification for bioethanol fermentation. These inhibitors reduce enzymatic and biological activities, break down DNA, and inhibit protein and RNA synthesis. Most yeasts, including industrial strains, are susceptible to these inhibitory compounds especially when multiple inhibitors are present. To facilitate fermentation processes, additional treatments are often needed to remediate these inhibitory compounds, including physical, chemical, or biochemical detoxification procedures. However, these additional steps add cost and complexity to the process and generate additional waste products. We recently reported a conversion product of HMF as 2,5-bis-hydroxymethylfuran and characterized a dose dependent response of ethanologenic yeast to inhibitors. In this study, we present newly developed strains that demonstrated higher levels of tolerance to furfural and HMF. These strains showed enhanced biotransformation ability to reduce furfural to furfural alcohol and HMF to 2,5-bis-hydroxymethylfuran at significantly higher rates compared to control strains. Results of this study suggest a possible in situ detoxification of the inhibitors for bioethanol fermentation.