Lignin is a primary component of lignocellulosic biomass that is an underutilized feedstock in the growing biofuels industry. Despite the fact that lignin depolymerization has long been studied, the intrinsic heterogeneity of lignin typically leads to heterogeneous streams of aromatic compounds, which in turn present significant technical challenges when attempting to produce lignin-derived chemicals where purity is often a concern. In Nature, microorganisms often encounter this same problem during biomass turnover wherein powerful oxidative enzymes produce heterogeneous slates of aromatics compounds. Some microbes have evolved metabolic pathways to convert these aromatic species via ‘upper pathways’ into central intermediates, which can then be funneled through ‘lower pathways’ into central carbon metabolism in a process we dubbed ‘biological funneling’. This funneling approach offers a direct, biological solution to overcome heterogeneity problems in lignin valorization for the modern biorefinery. Coupled to targeted separations and downstream chemical catalysis, this concept offers the ability to produce a wide range of molecules from lignin. This perspective describes research opportunities and challenges ahead for this new field of research, which holds significant promise towards a biorefinery concept wherein polysaccharides and lignin are treated as equally valuable feedstocks. In particular, we discuss tailoring the lignin substrate for microbial utilization, host selection for biological funneling, ligninolytic enzyme–microbe synergy, metabolic engineering, expanding substrate specificity for biological funneling, and process integration, each of which presents key challenges. Ultimately, for biological solutions to lignin valorization to be viable, multiple questions in each of these areas will need to be addressed, making biological lignin valorization a multidisciplinary, co-design problem.
Beckham, Gregg T, et al. "Opportunities and challenges in biological lignin valorization." Current Opinion in Biotechnology, vol. 42, no. C, Mar. 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2016.02.030
Beckham, Gregg T, Johnson, Christopher W, Karp, Eric M, Salvachúa, Davinia, & Vardon, Derek R (2016). Opportunities and challenges in biological lignin valorization. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 42(C). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2016.02.030
Beckham, Gregg T, Johnson, Christopher W, Karp, Eric M, et al., "Opportunities and challenges in biological lignin valorization," Current Opinion in Biotechnology 42, no. C (2016), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2016.02.030
@article{osti_1242475,
author = {Beckham, Gregg T and Johnson, Christopher W and Karp, Eric M and Salvachúa, Davinia and Vardon, Derek R},
title = {Opportunities and challenges in biological lignin valorization},
annote = {Lignin is a primary component of lignocellulosic biomass that is an underutilized feedstock in the growing biofuels industry. Despite the fact that lignin depolymerization has long been studied, the intrinsic heterogeneity of lignin typically leads to heterogeneous streams of aromatic compounds, which in turn present significant technical challenges when attempting to produce lignin-derived chemicals where purity is often a concern. In Nature, microorganisms often encounter this same problem during biomass turnover wherein powerful oxidative enzymes produce heterogeneous slates of aromatics compounds. Some microbes have evolved metabolic pathways to convert these aromatic species via ‘upper pathways’ into central intermediates, which can then be funneled through ‘lower pathways’ into central carbon metabolism in a process we dubbed ‘biological funneling’. This funneling approach offers a direct, biological solution to overcome heterogeneity problems in lignin valorization for the modern biorefinery. Coupled to targeted separations and downstream chemical catalysis, this concept offers the ability to produce a wide range of molecules from lignin. This perspective describes research opportunities and challenges ahead for this new field of research, which holds significant promise towards a biorefinery concept wherein polysaccharides and lignin are treated as equally valuable feedstocks. In particular, we discuss tailoring the lignin substrate for microbial utilization, host selection for biological funneling, ligninolytic enzyme–microbe synergy, metabolic engineering, expanding substrate specificity for biological funneling, and process integration, each of which presents key challenges. Ultimately, for biological solutions to lignin valorization to be viable, multiple questions in each of these areas will need to be addressed, making biological lignin valorization a multidisciplinary, co-design problem.},
doi = {10.1016/j.copbio.2016.02.030},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1242475},
journal = {Current Opinion in Biotechnology},
issn = {ISSN 0958-1669},
number = {C},
volume = {42},
place = {United States},
publisher = {Elsevier},
year = {2016},
month = {03}}
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308; SC0000997
OSTI ID:
1242475
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1325304 OSTI ID: 1387498
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA--5100-66139
Journal Information:
Current Opinion in Biotechnology, Journal Name: Current Opinion in Biotechnology Journal Issue: C Vol. 42; ISSN 0958-1669