Mass-spectral 'fingerprinting' of technical and native lignin substrates for improved biological funneling and enzyme discovery
EMSL Project ID
60328
Abstract
Lignin, composed of phenylpropanoid monomers connected by C-C and C-O-C (β-O-4 ether) bonds is the most energy dense polymer in lignocellulosic biomass and a potentially valuable source of aromatic precursors for renewable energy and materials production. However, efficient deconstruction of the lignin heteropolymer remains a significant barrier to its economical utilization in biorefining ecosystems. This proposal addresses the challenges of lignin deconstruction through renewed efforts to integrate analytical chemistry with biological activities from biocatalysts recovered from functional metagenomic screens, enabling a “lignin-first platform” for different lignin substrates e.g., native vs. technical. Specifically, we will leverage the capabilities at EMSL to evaluate bond-linkage modifications, monomer and oligomer production, and average molecular weight distributions to generate a holistic view of lignin substates transformed by large insert fosmid clones expressed in heterologous hosts as well as microbial enrichments. By combining the biological and chemical signatures of transformed lignin, we will design, build and test standardized workflows to compare biological treatments across lignin types. This will guide assembly of more efficient biological platforms (i.e. synthetic consortia, novel enzymatic mixtures, etc.) for energy and materials production tuned to local biomass sources and operating conditions in modern biorefining ecosystems.
Project Details
Project type
Large-Scale EMSL Research
Start Date
2022-10-01
End Date
N/A
Status
Active
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Team Members