Optically pure lactic acid production from softwood-derived mannose by Pediococcus acidilactici

Carbon catabolite repression during the simultaneous utilization of lignocellulose-derived sugars in lactic acid production: Influencing factors and mitigation strategies

Lignocellulose is the most abundant, sustainable, and comparatively economical renewable biomass containing ample fermentable sugars for bio-based chemical production, such as lactic acid (LA). LA is a versatile chemical with substantial global demand. However, the concurrent utilization of mixed sugars derived from lignocellulose, including glucose, xylose, and arabinose, remains a formidable challenge because of the metabolic regulation of carbon catabolite repression (CCR), in which glucose is preferentially utilized over non-glucose sugars, resulting in the loss of carbon resources and a decrease in biorefinery efficacy. Most current studies on CCR have concentrated on elucidating the principles and their impact on specific bacterial species using mixed carbon sources. However, there remains a notable dearth of comprehensive reviews summarizing the underlying principles and corresponding mitigation strategies across other bacterial strains encountering similar challenges. In light of this, this article delineates the possible factors that lead to CCR, including signal transduction and metabolic pathways. Additionally, the fermentation conditions and nutrients are described. Finally, this study proposes appropriate mitigation strategies to overcome the aforementioned obstacles and presents new insights into the rapid and simultaneous consumption of mixed sugars to bolster the production yields of biofuels and chemicals in the future.

Advances in L-Lactic Acid Production from Lignocellulose Using Genetically Modified Microbial Systems

Lactic acid is a vital organic acid with a wide range of industrial applications, particularly in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and biomedical sectors. The conventional production of lactic acid from refined sugars poses high costs and significant environmental impacts, leading to the exploration of alternative raw materials and more sustainable processes. Lignocellulosic biomass, particularly agro-industrial residues such as agave bagasse, represents a promising substrate for lactic acid production. Agave bagasse, a by-product of the tequila and mezcal industries, is rich in fermentable carbohydrates, making it an ideal raw material for biotechnological processes. The use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), particularly genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs), has been shown to enhance fermentation efficiency and lactic acid yield. This review explores the potential of lignocellulosic biomass as a substrate for microbial fermentation to produce lactic acid and other high-value products. It covers the composition and pretreatment of some agricultural residues, the selection of suitable microorganisms, and the optimization of fermentation conditions. The paper highlights the promising future of agro-industrial residue valorization through biotechnological processes and the sustainable production of lactic acid as an alternative to conventional methods.

Recent trends in lactic acid-producing microorganisms through microbial fermentation for the synthesis of polylactic acid

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a range of unique bioplastics that are bio-based and biodegradable. PLA is currently driving market expansion for lactic acid (LA) due to its high demand as a building block in production. One of the most practical and environmentally benign techniques for synthesising PLA is through enzymatic polymerisation of microbial LA monomers. However, microbial LA fermentation does have some limitations. Firstly, it requires the use of a nutritionally rich medium. Secondly, LA production can be disrupted by bacteriophage infection or other microorganisms. Lastly, the yield can be low due to the formation of by-products through heterofermentative pathway. Considering the potential use of PLA as a replacement for conventional petrochemical-based polymers in industrial applications, researchers are focused on exploring the diversity of LA-producing microorganisms from various niches. Their goal is to study the functional properties of these microorganisms and their ability to produce industrially valuable metabolites. This review highlights the advantages and disadvantages of lactic acid-producing microorganisms used in microbial fermentation for PLA synthesis.

Overcoming extended lag phase on optically pure lactic acid production from pretreated softwood solids

Optically pure lactic acid (LA) is needed in PLA (poly-lactic acid) production to build a crystalline structure with a higher melting point of the biopolymer than that of the racemic mixture. Lignocellulosic biomass can be used as raw material for LA production, in a non-food biorefinery concept. In the present study, genetically engineered P. acidilactici ZP26 was cultivated in a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process using steam pretreated softwood solids as a carbon source to produce optically pure D-LA. Given the low concentrations of identifiable inhibitory compounds from sugar and lignin degradation, the fermentation rate was expected to follow the rate of enzymatic hydrolysis. However, added pretreated solids (7% on weight (w/w) of water-insoluble solids [WIS]) significantly and immediately affected the process performance, which resulted in a long lag phase (more than 40 h) before the onset of the exponential phase of the fermentation. This unexpected delay was also observed without the addition of enzymes in the SSF and in a model fermentation with glucose and pretreated solids without added enzymes. Experiments showed that it was possible to overcome the extended lag phase in the presence of pretreated softwood solids by allowing the microorganism to initiate its exponential phase in synthetic medium, and subsequently adding the softwood solids and enzymatic blend to proceed to an SSF with D-LA production.

Simultaneous and rate-coordinated conversion of lignocellulose derived glucose, xylose, arabinose, mannose, and galactose into D-lactic acid production facilitates D-lactide synthesis

D-lactide is the precursor of poly(D-lactide) (PDLA) or stereo-complex with poly(L-lactide) (PLLA). Lignocellulosic biomass provides the essential feedstock option to synthesize D-lactic acid and D-lactide. The residual sugars in D-lactic acid fermentation broth significantly blocks the D-lactide synthesis. This study showed a simultaneous and rate-coordinated conversion of lignocellulose derived glucose, xylose, arabinose, mannose, and galactose into D-lactic acid by adaptively evolved Pediococcus acidilactici ZY271 by simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) of wheat straw. The produced D-lactic acid achieved minimum residual sugars (∼1.7 g/L), high chirality (∼99.1%) and high titer (∼128 g/L). A dry acid pretreatment eliminated the wastewater stream generation and the biodetoxification by fungus Amorphotheca resinae ZN1 removed the inhibitors from the pretreatment. The removal of the sugar residues and inhibitor impurities in D-lactic acid production from lignocellulose strongly facilitated the D-lactide synthesis. This study filled the gap in cellulosic D-lactide production from lignocellulose-derived D-lactic acid.

Advancement of biorefinery-derived platform chemicals from macroalgae: a perspective for bioethanol and lactic acid

The extensive growth of energy and plastic demand has raised concerns over the depletion of fossil fuels. Moreover, the environmental conundrums worldwide integrated with global warming and improper plastic waste management have led to the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly biofuel (bioethanol) and biopolymer (lactic acid, LA) derived from biomass for fossil fuels replacement and biodegradable plastic production, respectively. However, the high production cost of bioethanol and LA had limited its industrial-scale production. This paper has comprehensively reviewed the potential and development of third-generation feedstock for bioethanol and LA production, including significant technological barriers to be overcome for potential commercialization purposes. Then, an insight into the state-of-the-art hydrolysis and fermentation technologies using macroalgae as feedstock is also deliberated in detail. Lastly, the sustainability aspect and perspective of macroalgae biomass are evaluated economically and environmentally using a developed cascading system associated with techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment, which represent the highlights of this review paper. Furthermore, this review provides a conceivable picture of macroalgae-based bioethanol and lactic acid biorefinery and future research directions that can be served as an important guideline for scientists, policymakers, and industrial players.

Graphical abstract

Cyclic L-lactide synthesis from lignocellulose biomass by biorefining with complete inhibitor removal and highly simultaneous sugars assimilation

Cyclic chiral lactide is the monomer chemical for polymerization of high molecular weight polylactic acid (PLA). The synthesis of cyclic L-lactide starts from poly-condensation of L-lactic acid to a low molecular weight pre-polymer and then depolymerized to cyclic L-lactide. Lignocellulose biomass is the most promising carbohydrate feedstock for lactic acid production, but the synthesis of cyclic L-lactide from L-lactic acid produced from lignocellulose has so far not been successful. The major barriers are the impurities of residual sugars and inhibitors in the crude cellulosic L-lactic acid product. Here we show a successful cyclic L-lactide synthesis from cellulosic L-lactic acid by lignocellulose biorefining with complete inhibitor removal and coordinated sugars assimilation. The removal of inhibitors from lignocellulose pretreatment was accomplished by biodetoxification using a unique fungus Amorphotheca resinae ZN1. The non-glucose sugars were completely and simultaneously assimilated at the same rate with glucose by the engineered L-lactic acid bacterium Pediococcus acidilactici. The L-lactic acid production from wheat straw was comparable to that from corn starch with high optical pure (99.6%), high L-lactic acid titer (129.4 g/L), minor residual total sugars (~2.2 g/L), and inhibitors free. The cyclic L-lactide was successfully synthesized from the regularly purified L-lactic acid and verified by detailed characterizations. This study paves the technical foundation of carbon neutral production of biodegradable PLA from lignocellulose biomass. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.