Biotechnology for Biofuels最新文献

{"title":"Characterization of strain degeneration in the RL-P37 strain lineage of Trichoderma reesei","authors":"Caroline Danner,&nbsp;Armin Gabriel,&nbsp;Christian Zimmermann,&nbsp;Robert L. Mach,&nbsp;Yuriy Karpenko,&nbsp;Igor Nikolaev,&nbsp;Sharief Barends,&nbsp;Astrid R. Mach-Aigner","doi":"10.1186/s13068-025-02729-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13068-025-02729-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Spontaneous strain degeneration, defined as the loss of an essential biological function during prolonged usage, is frequently observed in microorganisms and poses a significant challenge to the biotechnology industry. In <i>Trichoderma reesei</i>, a filamentous fungus widely used for large-scale cellulase production, spontaneous loss of cellulase productivity has been reported. However, studies on this phenomenon have focused solely on industrial strains derived from the Rut-C30 lineage. This study analyzes strain degeneration in a different industrial lineage of <i>T. reesei</i>, RL-P37, and its hypercellulase-producing descendant, GEN-3A. We found that RL-P37 and GEN-3A are also affected by the degeneration phenomenon, with the highly productive GEN-3A showing greater susceptibility. The degenerated phenotype was characterized by reduced cellulase productivity, altered growth behavior, and distinct morphological changes. In particular, cellulase hyperproduction was associated with bulbous, highly branched hyphae, while these morphological traits were lost in degenerated isolates. Our study establishes a framework for characterizing strain degeneration in <i>T. reesei</i>, highlights the trade-off between productivity and stability, and identifies distinctive morphological signatures linked to cellulase hyperproduction and degeneration, which may serve as early phenotypic indicators for industrial strain monitoring.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":494,"journal":{"name":"Biotechnology for Biofuels","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13068-025-02729-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145913662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancement of growth and zeaxanthin accumulation via gene expression and metabolic pathways modulation in Chromochloris zofingiensis mutant CZ-Z12","authors":"Qiaohong Chen,&nbsp;Mingmeng Liu,&nbsp;Dong Wan,&nbsp;Wujuan Mi,&nbsp;Yuxuan Zhu,&nbsp;Gaofei Song,&nbsp;Yonghong Bi","doi":"10.1186/s13068-025-02726-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13068-025-02726-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p><i>Chromochloris zofingiensis</i> is recognized as a promising resource for the production of carotenoids. However, current knowledge regarding its capacity for zeaxanthin accumulation remains limited, which restricts its potential for commercial application. The development of high-yielding strains and an understanding of the underlying metabolic and regulatory mechanisms are critical to advancing large-scale zeaxanthin production.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>In this study, a novel zeaxanthin-enriched mutant CZ-Z12 was obtained using ethyl methyl sulfonate (EMS). CZ-Z12 displayed a rapid growth rate when cultivated heterotrophically. On Day 6, zeaxanthin content and total fatty acid (TFA) content reached 0.229% and 28.6% of dry weight (DW), representing a 4.1 and 1.9-fold increase compared to wild-type (WT), respectively. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched in pathways of ABC transporters, endogenous hormones signal transduction, nucleotide excision repair, glycolysis, purine and pyrimidine metabolism, glutathione metabolism, fatty acid and carotenoid biosynthesis. Genes encoding growth-related proteins, such as vegetative storage protein 2 (VSP2), deoxycytidine triphosphate pyrophosphatase 1 (DCTPP1), and fructose-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA), were up-regulated by 1.4, 1.7, and 2.5-fold, respectively. The key genes encoding enzymes in zeaxanthin biosynthesis, including glutathione reductase (GR), phytoene desaturase (PDS), and β-carotene hydroxylase (CHYb), were up-regulated by 3.1, 2.4, and 2.6-fold, respectively.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>These findings indicate that CZ-Z12 is an efficient strain for zeaxanthin production and highlight the potential for EMS mutagenesis for metabolic enhancement in heterotrophic <i>C. zofingiensis</i>. By modulating gene expression and key metabolic pathways, this study provides new insights and a practical strategy for improving carotenoid biosynthesis in microalgae, thereby supporting the feasible of large-scale, sustainable zeaxanthin production.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":494,"journal":{"name":"Biotechnology for Biofuels","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13068-025-02726-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145907248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhanced extracellular respiration of engineered Bacillus subtilis via anodic electro-fermentation with pH optimisation","authors":"Yu Sun,&nbsp;Changshuo Liu,&nbsp;Igor Vassilev,&nbsp;Antti J. Rissanen,&nbsp;Jin Luo,&nbsp;Marika Kokko","doi":"10.1186/s13068-025-02731-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13068-025-02731-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Leveraging alternative electron acceptors to support anaerobic metabolism in industrially relevant microorganisms holds substantial biotechnological potential, especially when coupled to anodic electro-fermentation, which provides a non-depleting electron sink to the microorganisms. <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> is a widely used industrial workhorse for biochemical production, valued for its genetic tractability and environmental stress tolerance. However, the anaerobic, anodic metabolism of <i>B</i>. <i>subtilis</i> has been constrained by limited redox flexibility. Here, deletion of <i>ldh</i> (lactate dehydrogenase) to restrict fermentative NAD⁺ regeneration enabled engineered <i>B. subtilis</i> to survive anaerobically via anodic respiration, partially oxidising glucose while steering the metabolism toward 2,3-butanediol. The anodic metabolism showed enhanced extracellular electron transfer mediated by ferricyanide, with the highest current density of 0.77 mA/cm² reached within 2 h. Carbon flux was directed predominantly to 2,3-butanediol (0.49 ± 0.07 mol_product/mol_glucose) under incomplete glucose oxidation and without pH control. In addition, pH control further improved anodic electro-fermentation performance. At pH 6.5, 66% of the added glucose was consumed, and 2,3-butanediol carbon selectivity rose to 77.1 ± 0.6%, whereas at pH 7.5, cells consumed 89% of the glucose with 73.4 ± 0.7% 2,3-butanediol carbon selectivity. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of anodic electro-fermentation in <i>B. subtilis</i> that integrates metabolic engineering with pH optimisation strategies, demonstrating a new route to produce high-purity biochemicals from renewable resources.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":494,"journal":{"name":"Biotechnology for Biofuels","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13068-025-02731-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145896773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advance biocatalyst for the green conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to a biopolymer precursor 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid","authors":"Lata Pawar,&nbsp;Pramod Kumar,&nbsp;Rishu Dhiman,&nbsp;Divya Mittal,&nbsp;Ashutosh Kumar,&nbsp;Rituraj Purohit,&nbsp;Sudesh Kumar Yadav","doi":"10.1186/s13068-025-02705-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13068-025-02705-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is a bio-derived compound which serves as a building block of polyethylene furandicarboxylate (PEF) for the synthesis of bio-plastics. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural oxidase (HMFO) is a promising biocatalyst for the oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to FDCA through three oxidation steps. The substrate could be fructose and other C6 sugars present in lignocellulosic biomass, providing an eco-friendly and sustainable route for the production of FDCA, an essential monomer for biopolymer development.</p><h3>Result</h3><p>The newly identified HMFO enzyme from <i>Pseudomonas poae</i> (PSPO) was heterologously expressed in <i>E. coli</i>, and the recombinant protein was purified and characterized. The catalytic function of PSPO was authenticated for the oxidation of HMF to FDCA. PSPO oxidized HMF, resulting in a 99% yield of FDCA within 24 h. The secondary structure composition of PSPO was analyzed. The optimal enzymatic activity of the recombinant protein was observed at pH 8.0 and temperature of 30℃. PSPO enzyme stability against H₂O₂ was evaluated, and the enzyme was observed to retain ˃90% of residual activity at lower concentrations of H₂O₂ (2 to 6 mM). The kinetic parameters of PSPO for the substrates HMF, FFCA, DFF, and vanillyl alcohol were also determined. The K_m values for HMF, FFCA, DFF, and vanillyl alcohol were 2.252 mM, 5.551 mM, 2.503 mM, and 1.589 mM, respectively.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The identified and characterized PSPO was found to have a potential for the accelerated enzymatic oxidation of HMF to FDCA. Through molecular dynamic (MD) simulations of the catalytic pathway and enzyme mechanisms, alongside assessing the impact of substrate concentration, PSPO turns out to be a potential candidate for enhancing reaction efficiency and maximizing yield.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":494,"journal":{"name":"Biotechnology for Biofuels","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13068-025-02705-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145879748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhanced bioproduction and processing of mandelic acid enantiomers: towards a sustainable platform for high-value pharmaceutical and polymer applications","authors":"Hanan Latif Messiha,&nbsp;Alec Banner,&nbsp;Mohamed Amer,&nbsp;Christopher James Robinson,&nbsp;Aula Alwattar,&nbsp;Viranga Tilakaratna,&nbsp;Rosalind Le Feuvre,&nbsp;Nigel Shaun Scrutton","doi":"10.1186/s13068-025-02727-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13068-025-02727-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Mandelic acid (MA) is a high-value chiral platform molecule with broad applications in pharmaceutical synthesis, cosmetic formulations, and polymer production. Conventional chemical synthesis is limited by harsh reaction conditions, poor enantioselectivity, and environmental concerns. Microbial biosynthesis offers a sustainable and stereoselective alternative; however, its industrial application is constrained by low titres, suboptimal productivity, and inefficient downstream recovery. This study reports an engineered microbial chassis that enables enhanced biosynthesis of MA enantiomers with integrated downstream compatibility.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The biosynthetic potential of <i>Escherichia coli</i> was harnessed through targeted metabolic engineering and pathway optimisation for the biosynthesis of (<i>R</i>)- and (<i>S</i>)-MA. Batch fermentations in rich medium produced 1.6 g/L (<i>R</i>)-MA and 1.8 g/L (<i>S</i>)-MA. Transitioning to fed-batch cultivation in defined minimal medium, under non-optimised conditions, increased titres to 2.9 g/L; <i>ee</i> = 99% for (<i>R</i>)-MA and 5.7 g/L; <i>ee</i> = 93% for (<i>S</i>)-MA, representing the highest reported in vivo titres of MA enantiomers achieved in <i>E. coli</i> to date. A two-step downstream process comprising solvent extraction and crystallisation enabled the recovery of MA at high purity (&gt; 99.0%), with recovery efficiencies of 84% for (<i>S</i>)-MA and 77% for (<i>R</i>)-MA. To validate the functional utility of bio-based MA, SAMMA, a sulfuric acid condensation polymer with documented antiviral and contraceptive properties, was synthesised from both bio-based and commercial MA. Additionally, mandelide, a monomer precursor for the biodegradable polystyrene analogue polymandelide (PM), was synthesised to illustrate the platform’s relevance to sustainable polymer applications.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>This study establishes a robust proof of concept for a microbial platform enabling enantioselective MA biosynthesis from renewable carbon sources. Through the integration of metabolic engineering, downstream process development and application-driven validation, this platform lays the foundation for a scalable and industrially relevant bioproduction strategy. Aligned with the principles of green chemistry and the circular bioeconomy, this approach offers a sustainable and environmentally responsible route to high-value chiral chemicals.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":494,"journal":{"name":"Biotechnology for Biofuels","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13068-025-02727-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145776843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sophorolipids: multifunctional microbial glycolipids with diverse bioactivities and applications","authors":"Chaozhi Wang,&nbsp;Chunyang Zhou,&nbsp;Yazheng Cao,&nbsp;Mohd Sadeeq,&nbsp;Ke Yu,&nbsp;Feifei Hou,&nbsp;Peng Xiong","doi":"10.1186/s13068-025-02723-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13068-025-02723-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Sophorolipids (SLs) are glycolipid biosurfactants produced by non-pathogenic yeasts and represent a sustainable, biocompatible alternative to synthetic surfactants. Their amphiphilic architecture—comprising a hydrophilic sophorose headgroup and a hydrophobic fatty acid tail—confers excellent surface activity, emulsifying capacity, and a broad spectrum of biological effects. This review synthesizes advances since 2020 in understanding SL bioactivities, including antibacterial, antifungal, antibiofilm, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects. We examine structure–activity relationships that govern functionality and survey strategies to enhance efficacy, such as chemical modification to generate novel derivatives and incorporation into nanostructures for targeted delivery. The review also evaluates application potential across sectors—agriculture (biopesticides, soil amendments), food (emulsifiers, preservatives), healthcare (therapeutics, coatings), and environmental remediation (oil and heavy-metal removal). Despite promising developments, challenges remain in production scaling, mechanistic clarity, and comprehensive characterization of novel SL. Addressing these issues will facilitate the integration of SLs into sustainable, high-value bioproducts aligned with green chemistry principles.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":494,"journal":{"name":"Biotechnology for Biofuels","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13068-025-02723-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145758762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Taxonomic distribution of alkane synthesizing aldehyde dehydrogenases across bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals","authors":"Masakazu Ito,&nbsp;Yu-An Sui,&nbsp;Natsumi Okada,&nbsp;Nahoko Kitamura,&nbsp;Shigenobu Kishino,&nbsp;Masayoshi Muramatsu,&nbsp;Jun Ogawa","doi":"10.1186/s13068-025-02721-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13068-025-02721-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Hydrocarbon-based biofuels, known as drop-in fuels, which are chemically similar to petroleum, have gained significant attention. Microorganisms that produce medium-chain alkanes hold promise for the bioproduction of drop-in fuels. Previous studies identified <i>Klebsiella</i> sp. NBRC100048 as having aldehyde-decarbonylating activity, enabling it to convert aldehydes into alkanes. Using a genomic fosmid library from <i>Klebsiella</i> sp. NBRC100048, we identified open reading frame 2991 (<i>orf2991</i>), which catalyzes the conversion of tetradecanal to tridecane. This gene shares high sequence similarity with the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) family in <i>Escherichia coli</i>.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>ALDH homolog genes from <i>Klebsiella</i> sp. NBRC100048 and <i>E. coli</i> W3110 were cloned and expressed in <i>E. coli</i> to assess their potential alkane-synthesizing activity. Approximately one-fifth of the tested enzymes exhibited this function, with basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) analysis classifying them under the phenylacetaldehyde dehydrogenase, succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase, or aldehyde dehydrogenase B families. Testing additional ALDH homologs from diverse organisms—bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals—revealed that ALDHs with alkane-synthesizing activity are widespread, occurring in Gram-positive bacteria, actinomycetes, lactic acid bacteria, and yeast species. Alkane-synthesizing activity was observed with resting cells and cell-free extracts of the <i>E. coli</i> transformants expressing ALDH (ORF2991) from <i>Klebsiella</i> sp. NBRC100048 with aldehyde as the substrate in the presence of NADH. However, under the tested conditions, the purified enzyme alone did not show detectable decarbonylase activity. These results suggest that additional cellular components, cofactors, or specific conditions may be required for the purified enzyme to exhibit the activity.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>We cloned several aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) from bacteria and yeast that have aldehyde decarbonylase activity to convert aldehydes to alkanes. Alkane-synthesizing activity was observed through the assays using resting cells and cell-free extracts of the <i>E. coli</i> transformants expressing ALDH. This novel function of aldehyde dehydrogenase introduces a new pathway for hydrocarbon fuel production and offers novel insights into microbial processes that may explain the natural origins of petroleum.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":494,"journal":{"name":"Biotechnology for Biofuels","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12817483/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145746056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sustainable biodiesel production from Ceiba pentandra (Kapok): a scientometric and technological assessment with performance, emission insights, and future challenges","authors":"S. Sudalai,&nbsp;V. Varalakksmi,&nbsp;S. Rahul,&nbsp;B. G. Yogeswaran,&nbsp;S. Prabakaran,&nbsp;A. Arumugam,&nbsp;Akhilesh Kumar Yadav","doi":"10.1186/s13068-025-02710-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13068-025-02710-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><i>Ceiba pentandra</i> (Kapok) has gained significant attention as a promising non-edible feedstock for biodiesel production, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuels. The review provides a comprehensive analysis of the potential of <i>Ceiba pentandra</i> as an efficient biodiesel producer, including various aspects of cultivation, oil extraction, conversion processes, and future development. A scientometric analysis highlights the growing research interest in this area, while the geographical distribution and requirements of the plant site are discussed to illustrate its global availability. The review also discusses <i>Ceiba pentandra</i>’s adaptability and growth potential in diverse environments, its oil extraction methodologies, and its suitability for biodiesel production. It evaluates various techniques, examines their efficiency, and analyzes the effects on engine performance. The economic feasibility analysis assesses commercial potential and its role in sustainable development. Furthermore, the role of <i>Ceiba pentandra</i> in supporting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as clean energy and climate action, is explored. Current industry developments and future prospects, including advances in conversion technologies and supply chain optimization, are discussed. The review highlights the need for continued research and investment to realize <i>Ceiba pentandra</i>’s potential as a sustainable biodiesel source.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":494,"journal":{"name":"Biotechnology for Biofuels","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13068-025-02710-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145688771","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preliminary Evaluation of lutein and zeaxanthin variability in DDGS from corn ethanol facilities","authors":"Emily Aicher,&nbsp;Abigail S. Engelberth","doi":"10.1186/s13068-025-02709-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13068-025-02709-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Navigating the unpredictable nature of feedstock is crucial in bioprocessing. Manufacturing designs for homogeneous inputs to produce high-quality outputs, but biomass is inherently inconsistent. In bioethanol production, ethanol yield can depend on the type of corn itself in addition to the processing conditions to which it is subjected. While bioethanol processing adheres to standard operating conditions, there remains variability between facilities, an important point when considering the bioethanol byproduct DDGS as a commercial source for lutein and zeaxanthin extraction. Lutein and zeaxanthin are derived commercially from marigold flowers, which is chemically intensive and prohibits new players from entering the market. Exploring the potential of DDGS as a source of lutein and zeaxanthin would incentivize both corn growers and biorefineries but requires characterizing the differences in the yield potential of DDGS from separate bioethanol facilities. In this study, defatted DDGS from five Midwestern bioethanol facilities were examined using Soxhlet extraction with ethanol and subsequent HPLC analysis for lutein and zeaxanthin content. Using nonparametric methods and α = 0.05, it was determined that although facility appeared to have a significant effect on zeaxanthin yield, lutein yield displayed a greater degree of variability and differences in zeaxanthin yield could not be statistically ascribed to facility. Ultimately, the variability in corn growth and harvest and the downstream processing are too great to fully attribute any differences to facility alone. Future studies should consider sampling intermediate products throughout the biorefining process, as well as analyzing the incoming corn directly and comparing it to the final defatted DDGS to more fully understand how lutein and zeaxanthin partition and/or degrade during processing for a single variety of corn.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":494,"journal":{"name":"Biotechnology for Biofuels","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13068-025-02709-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145612430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Boosting lignocellulosic bioethanol production: fermentation of corn stalk using a lignin-reduced brown midrib 2 maize mutant","authors":"Jinyue Wang,&nbsp;Huachuan Tuo,&nbsp;Peng Cheng,&nbsp;Fangying Chen,&nbsp;Yuxiao Li,&nbsp;Mengyu Yuan,&nbsp;Wenji Lin,&nbsp;Xiaonan Bao,&nbsp;Junjie Sun,&nbsp;Yaowen Guo,&nbsp;Ziwei Wang,&nbsp;Ying Wang,&nbsp;Haochuan Li,&nbsp;Xiaohuan Mu,&nbsp;Qin Zhang,&nbsp;Yanwen Yu,&nbsp;Mingyue Gou","doi":"10.1186/s13068-025-02722-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13068-025-02722-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The recalcitrance of lignin is a major bottleneck in the efficient conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to bioethanol. Genetic reduction of lignin content represents a key strategy to overcome this barrier. This study focuses on characterizing the <i>brown midrib2</i> (<i>bm2</i>) maize mutant to assess its potential for improving bioethanol production.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Using a near-isogenic line (BC₄F₅) harboring the <i>bm2</i> mutation, an 8.01% reduction in acid-insoluble lignin content in stalks was observed, with no significant change in cellulose or hemicellulose. This lignin reduction led to a 25.17% increase in glucose release upon sulfuric acid pretreatment. Most importantly, the <i>bm2</i> mutant showed significantly higher lignocellulosic bioethanol yields: 3.05 g/L Ethanol 1 from the pretreatment hydrolysate (fermentation via <i>Pichia stipites</i>) and 25.88 g/L Ethanol 2 from the cellulose residue (fermentation via <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>), corresponding to 59.07% and 38.58% increases over the wild-type control, respectively.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>Our results provide direct evidence that the <i>bm2</i> mutation enhances lignocellulosic ethanol production by reducing lignin content and improving saccharification efficiency. This work underscores the value of <i>bm2</i> in breeding specialized corn varieties for sustainable biofuel feedstock.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":494,"journal":{"name":"Biotechnology for Biofuels","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13068-025-02722-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145643759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}