Metabolic engineering of Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 for removal of Clostridium butyricum growth inhibitors produced from lignocellulosic hydrolysates.

Background: Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass can produce inhibitory compounds that are harmful for microorganisms used in the production of biofuels and other chemicals from lignocellulosic sugars. Selective inhibitor removal can be achieved with biodetoxification where microorganisms catabolize the inhibitors without consuming the sugars. We engineered the strictly aerobic Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1 for detoxification of lignocellulosic hydrolysates by removing the gene for glucose dehydrogenase, gcd, which catalyzes the first step in its glucose catabolism.

Synergism of fungal and bacterial cellulases and hemicellulases: a novel perspective for enhanced bio-ethanol production.

The complex structure of lignocellulose requires the involvement of a suite of lignocellulolytic enzymes for bringing about an effective de-polymerization. Cellulases and hemicellulases from both fungi and bacteria have been studied extensively. This review illustrates the mechanism of action of different cellulolytic and hemi-cellulolytic enzymes and their distinctive roles during hydrolysis.