Combination of ammonia and xylanase pretreatments: impact on enzymatic xylan and cellulose recovery from wheat straw

The green novel approach in hydrolysis of pistachio shell into xylose by microwave-assisted high-pressure CO2 /H2 O

BACKGROUND

Pistachio shell is a valuable lignocellulosic biomass because almost 90% of its hemicellulose fraction is xylan, which can be converted into high value-added compounds such as xylooligosaccarides, xylose, xylitol and furfural. The present study represents a green and novel approach to produce xylose from lignocellulosic biomass. Microwave-assisted high-pressure CO2 /H2 O hydrolysis (MW-HPCO2 ) comprising a combination never previously used was performed to produce xylose from pistachio shell.

RESULTS

Response surface methodology with a Box-Behnken design was implemented to optimize microwave-assisted high-pressure CO2 /H2 O hydrolysis (MW-HPCO2 ). The effect of temperature, time and liquid-to-solid ratio was studied in the ranges of 180-210 °C, 10-30 min and 5-30 mL g-1 , respectively. A maximum xylose yield of 61.39% and minimum degradation compounds (5-hydroxymethyl furfural and furfural) of 11.07% were attained under reaction conditions of 190 °C, 30 min and 18 mL g-1 .

CONCLUSION

The results showed that hydrolysis temperature, time and liquid-to-solid ratio had a strong influence on the xylose yield, as well as on the formation of degradation compounds. MW-HPCO2 significantly increased accessibility to cellulose-derived products in the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis. The results of the present study reveal that MW-HPCO2 can be a promising green technique for the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

A Glycosyl Hydrolase 30 Family Xylanase from the Rumen Metagenome and Its Effects on In Vitro Ruminal Fermentation of Wheat Straw

The challenge of wheat straw as a ruminant feed is its low ruminal digestibility. This study investigated the impact of a xylanase called RuXyn, derived from the rumen metagenome of beef cattle, on the in vitro ruminal fermentation of wheat straw. RuXyn encoded 505 amino acids and was categorized within subfamily 8 of the glycosyl hydrolase 30 family. RuXyn was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and displayed its highest level of activity at pH 6.0 and 40 °C. RuXyn primarily hydrolyzed xylan, while it did not show any noticeable activity towards other substrates, including carboxymethylcellulose and Avicel. At concentrations of 5 mM, Mn2+ and dithiothreitol significantly enhanced RuXyn's activity by 73% and 20%, respectively. RuXyn's activity was almost or completely inactivated in the presence of Cu2+, even at low concentrations. The main hydrolysis products of corncob xylan by RuXyn were xylopentose, xylotriose, and xylotetraose. RuXyn hydrolyzed wheat straw and rice straw more effectively than it did other agricultural by-products. A remarkable synergistic effect was observed between RuXyn and a cellulase cocktail on wheat straw hydrolysis. Supplementation with RuXyn increased dry matter digestibility; acetate, propionate, valerate, and total volatile fatty acid yields; NH3-N concentration, and total bacterial number during in vitro fermentation of wheat straw relative to the control. RuXyn's inactivity at 60 °C and 70 °C was remedied by mutating proline 151 to phenylalanine and aspartic acid 204 to leucine, boosting activity to 20.3% and 21.8% of the maximum activity at the respective temperatures. As an exogenous enzyme preparation, RuXyn exhibits considerable potential to improve ruminal digestion and the utilization of wheat straw in ruminants. As far as we know, this is the first study on a GH30 xylanase promoting the ruminal fermentation of agricultural straws. The findings demonstrate that the utilization of RuXyn can significantly enhance the ruminal digestibility of wheat straw by approximately 10 percentage points. This outcome signifies the emergence of a novel and highly efficient enzyme preparation that holds promise for the effective utilization of wheat straw, a by-product of crop production, in ruminants.

Copper-uptake mediated by an ecofriendly zwitterionic ionic liquid: A new challenge for a cleaner bioeconomy

This study aims to investigate the ability of an imidazolium biobased Zwitterionic Ionic Liquids (ZILs) in enhancing the phytoavailability of copper from garden (G) and vineyard (V) soils using the model plant ryegrass. Uncontaminated and artificially contaminated CuSO₄ soils, unamended and ZIL-amended soil modalities were designed. The copper/ZIL molar ratio (1/4) introduced was rationally established based on molecular modeling and on the maximal copper concentration in artificially contaminated soil. Higher accumulation of copper in the shoots was detected for the uncontaminated and copper contaminated ZIL amended V soils (18.9 and 23.3 mg/kg, respectively) contrary to G soils together with a ZIL concentration of around 3% (W/W) detected by LC-MS analyses. These data evidenced a Cu-accumulation improvement of 38% and 66% compared to non-amended V soils (13.6 and 13.9 mg/kg respectively). ZIL would be mainly present under Cu(II)-ZIL₄ complexes in the shoots. The impact on the chemical composition of shoot was also studied. The results show that depending on the soils modalitity, the presence of free copper and/or ZIL led to different chemical compositions in lignin and monomeric sugar contents. In the biorefinery context, performances of enzymatic hydrolysis of shoots were also related to the presence of both ZIL and copper under free or complex forms. Ecotoxicity assessment of the vineyard soil samples indicated that the quantity of copper and ZIL remaining in the soils had no significant toxicity. ZIL amendment in a copper-contaminated soil was demonstrated as being a promising way to promote the valorization of phytoremediation plants.

Draft Genome Sequence of the Lignocellulolytic and Thermophilic Bacterium Thermobacillus xylanilyticus XE

Thermobacillus xylanilyticus is a thermophilic and hemicellulolytic bacterium able to use several lignocelluloses as its main carbon source. This draft genome sequence gives insight into the genomic potential of this bacterium and provides new resources to understand the enzymatic mechanisms used by the bacterium during lignocellulose degradation and will allow the identification of robust lignocellulolytic enzymes.

Culturable and metagenomic approaches of wheat bran and wheat straw phyllosphere's highlight new lignocellulolytic microorganisms

The phyllosphere, defined as the aerial parts of plants, is one of the most prevalent microbial habitats on earth. The microorganisms present on the phyllosphere can have several interactions with the plant. The phyllosphere represents then a unique niche where microorganisms have evolved through time in that stressful environment and may have acquired the ability to degrade lignocellulosic plant cell walls in order to survive to oligotrophic conditions. The dynamic lignocellulolytic potential of two phyllospheric microbial consortia (wheat straw and wheat bran) has been studied. The microbial diversity rapidly changed between the native phyllospheres and the final degrading microbial consortia after 48 hours of culture. Indeed, the initial microbial consortia was dominated by the Ralstonia (35.8%) and Micrococcus (75.2%) genera for the wheat bran and wheat straw whereas they were dominated by Candidatus phytoplasma (59%) and Acinetobacter (31.8%) in the final degrading microbial consortia respectively. Culturable experiments leading to the isolation of several new lignocellulolytic isolates (belonging to Moraxella and Atlantibacter genera) and metagenomic reconstruction of the microbial consortia highlighted the existence of an unpredicted microbial diversity involved in lignocellulose fractionation but also the existence of new pathways in known genera (presence of CE2 for Acinetobacter,several AAs for Pseudomonas and several GHs for Bacillus in different Metagenomes Assembled Genomes). The phyllosphere from agricultural co-products represents then a new niche as a lignocellulolytic degrading ecosystem.

Coordinately express hemicellulolytic enzymes in Kluyveromyces marxianus to improve the saccharification and ethanol production from corncobs

BACKGROUND

Hemicellulose acts as one factor contributing to the recalcitrance of lignocellulose that prevents cellulases to degrade the cellulose efficiently even in low quantities. Supplement of hemicellulases can enhance the performance of commercial cellulases in the enzymatic hydrolyses of lignocellulose. Kluyveromyce marxianus is an attractive yeast for cellulosic ethanol fermentation, as well as a promising host for heterologous protein production, since it has remarkable thermotolerance, high growth rate, and broad substrate spectrum etc. In this study, we attempted to coordinately express multiple hemicellulases in K. marxianus through a 2A-mediated ribosome skipping to self-cleave polyproteins, and investigated their capabilities for saccharification and ethanol production from corncobs.

RESULTS

Two polycistronic genes IMPX and IMPαX were constructed to test the self-cleavage of P2A sequence from the Foot-and-Mouth Disease virus (FMDV) in K. marxianus. The IMPX gene consisted of a β-mannanase gene M330 (without the stop codon), a P2A sequence and a β-xylanase gene Xyn-CDBFV in turn. In the IMPαX gene, there was an additional α-factor signal sequence in frame with the N-terminus of Xyn-CDBFV. The extracellular β-mannanase activities of the IMPX and IMPαX strains were 21.34 and 15.50 U/mL, respectively, but the extracellular β-xylanase activity of IMPαX strain was much higher than that of the IMPX strain, which was 136.17 and 42.07 U/mL, respectively. Subsequently, two recombinant strains, the IXPαR and IMPαXPαR, were constructed to coordinately and secretorily express two xylantic enzymes, Xyn-CDBFV and β-D-xylosidase RuXyn1, or three hemicellulolytic enzymes including M330, Xyn-CDBFV and RuXyn1. In fed-batch fermentation, extracellular activities of β-xylanase and β-xylosidase in the IXPαR strain were 1664.2 and 0.90 U/mL. Similarly, the IMPαXPαR strain secreted the three enzymes, β-mannanase, β-xylanase, and β-xylosidase, with the activities of 159.8, 2210.5, and 1.25 U/mL, respectively. Hemicellulolases of both strains enhanced the yields of glucose and xylose from diluted acid pretreated (DAP) corncobs when acted synergistically with commercial cellulases. In hybrid saccharification and fermentation (HSF) of DAP corncobs, hemicellulases of the IMPαXPαR strain increased the ethanol yield by 8.7% at 144 h compared with the control. However, both ethanol and xylose yields were increased by 12.7 and 18.2%, respectively, at 120 h in HSF of aqueous ammonia pretreated (AAP) corncobs with this strain. Our results indicated that coordinate expression of hemicellulolytic enzymes in K. marxianus promoted the saccharification and ethanol production from corncobs.

CONCLUSIONS

The FMDV P2A sequence showed high efficiency in self-cleavage of polyproteins in K. marxianus and could be used for secretory expression of multiple enzymes in the presence of their signal sequences. The IMPαXPαR strain coexpressed three hemicellulolytic enzymes improved the saccharification and ethanol production from corncobs, and could be used as a promising strain for ethanol production from lignocelluloses.

Enzymatic Production of Xylo-oligosaccharides from Destarched Wheat Bran and the Impact of Their Degree of Polymerization and Substituents on Their Utilization as a Carbon Source by Probiotic Bacteria

The enzymatic production of xylo-oligosaccharides (XOs) from destarched wheat bran with a GH11 xylanase was studied. Xylo-oligosaccharides (XOs) produced were separated into different fractions according to their degree of polymerization (DP) and the nature of their substituents: arabinoxylo-oligosaccharides (AXOs) with a DP from 2 to 3 and DP from 2 to 6 and feruloylated arabinoxylo-oligosaccharides (FAXOs) esterified by ferulic and p-coumaric acids with a DP from 3 to 6. Both AXOs (short and long DP) and FAXOs stimulated the growth of Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Prevotella copri similarly but not Lactobacillus rhamnosus. The utilization of AXOs and FAXOs as a carbon source resulted in the increase in turbidity, decrease in pH, and production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the culture broth. The highest amount of SCFAs was produced by F. prausnitzii using FAXOs. Results suggest that FAXOs and AXOs have the potential to be considered as prebiotics.

Valorisation of wheat bran to produce natural pigments using selected microorganisms

Pigments are compounds with highly diverse structures and wide uses, which production is increasing worldwide. An eco-friendly method of bioproduction is to use the ability of some microorganisms to ferment on renewable carbon sources. Wheat bran (WB) is a cheap and abundant lignocellulosic co-product of low recalcitrance to biological conversion. Microbial candidates with theoretical ability to degrade WB were first preselected using specific databases. The microorganisms were Ashbya gossypii (producing riboflavin), Chitinophaga pinensis (producing flexirubin), Chromobacterium vaccinii (violacein) and Gordonia alkanivorans (carotenoids). Growth was shown for each on minimal salt medium supplemented with WB at 5 g.L^-1. Activities of the main enzymes consuming WB were measured, showing leucine amino-peptidase (up to 8.45 IU. mL^-1) and β-glucosidase activities (none to 6.44 IU. mL^-1). This was coupled to a FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra-Red) study of the WB residues that showed main degradation of the WB protein fraction for C. pinensis, C. vaccinii and G. alkanivorans. Production of the pigments on WB was assessed for all the strains except Ashbya, with values of production reaching up to 1.47 mg.L^-1. The polyphasic approach used in this study led to a proof of concept of pigment production from WB as a cheap carbon source.

The Mechanism Underlying of Long-Term Stable Indigo Reduction State in Indigo Fermentation Using Sukumo (Composted Polygonum tinctorium Leaves)

Indigo fermentation fluid maintains its indigo-reducing state for more than 6 months under open-air. To elucidate the mechanism underlying the sustainability of this indigo reduction state, three indigo fermentation batches with different durations for the indigo reduction state were compared. The three examined batches exhibited different microbiota and consisted of two phases. In the initial phase, oxygen-metabolizing-bacteria derived from sukumo established an initial network. With decreasing redox potential (ORP), the initial bacterial community was replaced by obligate anaerobes (mainly Proteinivoraceae; phase 1). Approximately 1 month after the beginning of fermentation, the predominating obligate anaerobes were decreased, and Amphibacillus and Polygonibacillus, which can decompose macromolecules derived from wheat bran, were predominantly observed, and the transition of microbiota became slow (phase 2). Considering the substrate utilization ability of the dominated bacterial taxa, the transitional change from phase 1 to phase 2 suggests that this changed from the bacterial flora that utilizes substrates derived from sukumo, including intrinsic substrates in sukumo and weakened or dead bacterial cells derived from early events (heat and alkaline treatment and reduction of ORP) to that of wheat bran-utilizers. This succession was directly related to the change in the major substrate sustaining the corresponding community and the turning point was approximately 1 month after the start of fermentation. As a result, we understand that the role of sukumo includes changes in the microbial flora immediately after the start of fermentation, which has an important function in the start-up phase of fermentation, whereas the ecosystem comprised of the microbiota utilizing wheat bran underpins the subsequent long-term indigo reduction.

Screening New Xylanase Biocatalysts from the Mangrove Soil Diversity

Mangrove sediments from New Caledonia were screened for xylanase sequences. One enzyme was selected and characterized both biochemically and for its industrial potential. Using a specific cDNA amplification method coupled with a MiSeq sequencing approach, the diversity of expressed genes encoding GH11 xylanases was investigated beneath Avicenia marina and Rhizophora stylosa trees during the wet and dry seasons and at two different sediment depths. GH11 xylanase diversity varied more according to tree species and season, than with respect to depth. One complete cDNA was selected (OFU29) and expressed in Pichia pastoris. The corresponding enzyme (called Xyn11-29) was biochemically characterized, revealing an optimal activity at 40–50 °C and at a pH of 5.5. Xyn11-29 was stable for 48 h at 35 °C, with a half-life of 1 h at 40 °C and in the pH range of 5.5–6. Xyn11-29 exhibited a high hydrolysis capacity on destarched wheat bran, with 40% and 16% of xylose and arabinose released after 24 h hydrolysis. Its activity on wheat straw was lower, with a release of 2.8% and 6.9% of xylose and arabinose, respectively. As the protein was isolated from mangrove sediments, the effect of sea salt on its activity was studied and discussed.

An Integrated Enzymatic Approach to Produce Pentyl Xylosides and Glucose/Xylose Laurate Esters From Wheat Bran

Alkyl glycosides and sugars esters are non-ionic surfactants of interest for various applications (cosmetics, food, detergency,…). In the present study, xylans and cellulose from wheat bran were enzymatically converted into pentyl xylosides and glucose and xylose laurate monoesters. Transglycosylation reaction catalyzed by the commercial enzymatic cocktail Cellic Ctec2 in the presence of pentanol led to the synthesis of pentyl β-D-xylosides from DP1 to 3 with an overall yield of 520 mg/g of xylans present in wheat bran. Enzymatic hydrolysis of wheat bran with Cellic Ctec2 and subsequent acylation of the recovered D-glucose and D-xylose catalyzed by the commercial lipase N435 in the presence of lauric acid or methyl laurate produced one D-glucose laurate monoester and one D-xylose laurate monoester. An integrated approach combining transglycosylation and (trans)esterification reactions was successfully developed to produce both pentyl xylosides and D-glucose and D-xylose laurate esters from the same batch of wheat bran.

Implementation of Auto-Hydrolysis Process for the Recovery of Antioxidants and Cellulose from Wheat Straw

Wheat straw is an easily affordable, cost-effective and natural source of antioxidants and cellulose, but its full potential is not yet utilized. In the present investigation, an auto-hydrolytic process was applied to recover both antioxidant phenolic compounds and cellulose from wheat straw. Two three-step acid/alkaline fractionation processes were applied differing for the first step: a conventional mild acid hydrolysis or an auto-hydrolysis. The liquors from the first step were analyzed for the recovery of antioxidants, while the final residues from the whole process were analyzed for cellulose yield and purity. The auto-hydrolysis process led to a higher yield in antioxidants but also in sugars (glucose and xylose) and sugar degradation products (5-HMF, 5-MF, furfural) than the acid hydrolysis process. The overall cellulose recovery (about 45% g/100 gcellulose wheat straw dm) and purity was comparable in the two processes; therefore, the auto-hydrolysis-based process could be recommended as a potentially more environmentally friendly process to recover antioxidants and cellulose from wheat straw for different applications. Finally, a first study on the optimization of hydrolysis step was provided from the point of view of improving the cellulose yield, monitoring the sugars release during both the acid hydrolysis and the auto-hydrolysis process.

Construction and characterization of a chimeric enzyme of swollenin and xylanase to improve soybean straw hydrolysis

A study was carried out to produce a fusion protein (Swo-Xyn) using the Trichoderma reesei swollenin and Lentinula edodes xylanase and to investigate its characteristics and application in degrading soybean straw. In parallel, L. edodes xylanase (Xyn) alone was used as a control protein in application tests. The Swo-Xyn was recombined, expressed and produced by Pichia pastoris and had the maximum activity at 40 °C and pH 3.0 using xylan as substrate. The Swo-Xyn exhibited preferential hydrolysis of Xylan. The Swo-Xyn had slight low Km value (23.90 vs. 25.36 mg/ml) but significantly low Vmax value (162.4 vs. 227.2 μmol/mg·min) and specific activity (18.82 vs. 38.97 U/mg) relative to the Xyn. The Swo-Xyn activity was enhanced by Zn2+ in dose dependent manners with the peak activity at 30 mM of Zn2+. The Swo-Xyn could tolerate 15% of methanol, ethanol, aceton, and DMSO with >60% residual activity. The Swo-Xyn had the greater tolerance to SDS, EDTA, 2-ME than the Xyn and could be activated by DTT, Triton X-100, and Tween 20. Compared with the Xyn, the hydrolysis and sequent cellulose enzymolysis of soybean straw could be better improved by the Swo-Xyn. The Swo-Xyn should be more useful for improving the utilization of soybean straw.

Insight into the role of α-arabinofuranosidase in biomass hydrolysis: cellulose digestibility and inhibition by xylooligomers

BACKGROUND

α-l-Arabinofuranosidase (ARA), a debranching enzyme that can remove arabinose substituents from arabinoxylan and arabinoxylooligomers (AXOS), promotes the hydrolysis of the arabinoxylan fraction of biomass; however, the impact of ARA on the overall digestibility of cellulose is controversial. In this study, we investigated the effects of the addition of ARA on cellulase hydrolytic action.

RESULTS

We found that approximately 15% of the xylan was converted into AXOS during the hydrolysis of aqueous ammonia-pretreated corn stover and that this AXOS fraction was approximately 12% substituted with arabinose. The addition of ARA removes a portion of the arabinose decoration, but the resulting less-substituted AXOS inhibited cellulase action much more effectively; showing an increase of 45.7%. Kinetic experiments revealed that AXOS with a lower degree of arabinose substitution showed stronger affinity for the active site of cellobiohydrolase, which could be the mechanism of increased inhibition.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings strongly suggest that the ratio of ARA and other xylanases should be carefully selected to avoid the strong inhibition caused by the less-substituted AXOS during the hydrolysis of arabinoxylan-containing biomass. This study advances our understanding of the inhibitory mechanism of xylooligomers and provides critical new insights into the relationship of ARA addition and cellulose digestibility.

Low liquid ammonia treatment of wheat straw increased enzymatic cell wall polysaccharide degradability and decreased residual hydroxycinnamic acids

Ammonia treatment of lignocellulose improves carbohydrate degradability, however, low ammonia dose treatment effects and mechanisms are hardly considered. This study describes low dose ammonia treatment of wheat straw in a statistical design of experiments (Taguchi design) to evaluate the effects of ammonia concentration, treatment time and the Solid:Liquid ratio on structure, composition and enzymatic degradability of the residual fractions. The results showed that low ammonia concentration (≤2 w/w % NH₃) resulted in a high carbohydrate recovery (>80%) coupled enzymatic hydrolysis of 50% of xylan and 40% of glucan of the treated material using a (hemi-) cellulase enzyme cocktail. This effect coincidences with the relative decrease in ferulic acid by 10% and coumaric acid by more than 50% analysed via pyrolysis-GC-MS, measured as 4-vinyl-phenol and 4-vinyl-guaiacol, respectively. Our findings show that lowering ammonia concentration increased the effect of treatment time on the enzymatic degradability of the residual fraction.

Acetyl Groups in Typha capensis: Fate of Acetates during Organosolv and Ionosolv Pulping

During biomass fractionation, any native acetylation of lignin and heteropolysaccharide may affect the process and the resulting lignin structure. In this study, Typha capensis (TC) and its lignin isolated by milling (MWL), ionosolv (ILL) and organosolv (EOL) methods were investigated for acetyl group content using FT-Raman, ¹H NMR, 2D-NMR, back-titration, and Zemplén transesterification analytical methods. The study revealed that TC is a highly acetylated grass; extractive free TC (TCextr) and TC MWL exhibited similar values of acetyl content: 6 wt % and 8 wt % by Zemplén transesterification, respectively, and 11 wt % by back-titration. In contrast, lignin extracted from organosolv and [EMIm][OAc] pulping lost 80% of the original acetyl groups. With a high acetyl content in the natural state, TC could be an interesting raw material in biorefinery in which acetic acid could become an important by-product.

Sequential and simultaneous strategies for biorefining of wheat straw using room temperature ionic liquids, xylanases and cellulases

Sequential and simultaneous strategies for fractioning wheat straw were developed in combining 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium acetate [C2mim][OAc], endo-xylanases from Thermobacillus xylanilyticus and commercial cellulases. After [C2mim][OAc]-pretreatment, hydrolysis catalyzed by endo-xylanases of wheat straw led to efficient xylose production with very competitive yield (97.6 ± 1.3%). Subsequent enzymatic saccharification allowed achieving a total degradation of cellulosic fraction (>99%). These high performances revealed an interesting complementarity of [C2mim][OAc]- and xylanase-pretreatments for increasing enzymatic digestibility of cellulosic fraction in agreement with the structural and morphological changes of wheat straw induced by each of these pretreatment steps. In addition a higher tolerance of endo-xylanases from T. xylaniliticus to [C2mim][AcO] until 30% v/v than cellulases from T. reesei was observed. Based on this property, a simultaneous strategy combining [C2mim][OAc]- and endo-xylanases as pretreatment in a one-batch produced xylose with similar yield than those obtained by the sequential strategy.

Xylan extraction from pretreated sugarcane bagasse using alkaline and enzymatic approaches

BACKGROUND

New biorefinery concepts are necessary to drive industrial use of lignocellulose biomass components. Xylan recovery before enzymatic hydrolysis of the glucan component is a way to add value to the hemicellulose fraction, which can be used in papermaking, pharmaceutical, and food industries. Hemicellulose removal can also facilitate subsequent cellulolytic glucan hydrolysis.

RESULTS

Sugarcane bagasse was pretreated with an alkaline-sulfite chemithermomechanical process to facilitate subsequent extraction of xylan by enzymatic or alkaline procedures. Alkaline extraction methods yielded 53% (w/w) xylan recovery. The enzymatic approach provided a limited yield of 22% (w/w) but produced the xylan with the lowest contamination with lignin and glucan components. All extracted xylans presented arabinosyl side groups and absence of acetylation. 2D-NMR data suggested the presence of O-methyl-glucuronic acid and p-coumarates only in enzymatically extracted xylan. Xylans isolated using the enzymatic approach resulted in products with molecular weights (Mw) lower than 6 kDa. Higher Mw values were detected in the alkali-isolated xylans. Alkaline extraction of xylan provided a glucan-enriched solid readily hydrolysable with low cellulase loads, generating hydrolysates with a high glucose/xylose ratio.

CONCLUSIONS

Hemicellulose removal before enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulosic fraction proved to be an efficient manner to add value to sugarcane bagasse biorefining. Xylans with varied yield, purity, and structure can be obtained according to the extraction method. Enzymatic extraction procedures produce high-purity xylans at low yield, whereas alkaline extraction methods provided higher xylan yields with more lignin and glucan contamination. When xylan extraction is performed with alkaline methods, the residual glucan-enriched solid seems suitable for glucose production employing low cellulase loadings.

Chemical Pretreatment-Independent Saccharifications of Xylan and Cellulose of Rice Straw by Bacterial Weak Lignin-Binding Xylanolytic and Cellulolytic Enzymes

Complete utilization of carbohydrate fractions is one of the prerequisites for obtaining economically favorable lignocellulosic biomass conversion. This study shows that xylan in untreated rice straw was saccharified to xylose in one step without chemical pretreatment, yielding 58.2% of the theoretically maximum value by Paenibacillus curdlanolyticus B-6 PcAxy43A, a weak lignin-binding trifunctional xylanolytic enzyme, endoxylanase/β-xylosidase/arabinoxylan arabinofuranohydrolase. Moreover, xylose yield from untreated rice straw was enhanced to 78.9% by adding endoxylanases PcXyn10C and PcXyn11A from the same bacterium, resulting in improvement of cellulose accessibility to cellulolytic enzyme. After autoclaving the xylanolytic enzyme-treated rice straw, it was subjected to subsequent saccharification by a combination of the Clostridium thermocellum endoglucanase CtCel9R and Thermoanaerobacter brockii β-glucosidase TbCglT, yielding 88.5% of the maximum glucose yield, which was higher than the glucose yield obtained from ammonia-treated rice straw saccharification (59.6%). Moreover, this work presents a new environment-friendly xylanolytic enzyme pretreatment for beneficial hydrolysis of xylan in various agricultural residues, such as rice straw and corn hull. It not only could improve cellulose saccharification but also produced xylose, leading to an improvement of the overall fermentable sugar yields without chemical pretreatment.IMPORTANCE Ongoing research is focused on improving "green" pretreatment technologies in order to reduce energy demands and environmental impact and to develop an economically feasible biorefinery. The present study showed that PcAxy43A, a weak lignin-binding trifunctional xylanolytic enzyme, endoxylanase/β-xylosidase/arabinoxylan arabinofuranohydrolase from P. curdlanolyticus B-6, was capable of conversion of xylan in lignocellulosic biomass such as untreated rice straw to xylose in one step without chemical pretreatment. It demonstrates efficient synergism with endoxylanases PcXyn10C and PcXyn11A to depolymerize xylan in untreated rice straw and enhanced the xylose production and improved cellulose hydrolysis. Therefore, it can be considered an enzymatic pretreatment. Furthermore, the studies here show that glucose yield released from steam- and xylanolytic enzyme-treated rice straw by the combination of CtCel9R and TbCglT was higher than the glucose yield obtained from ammonia-treated rice straw saccharification. This work presents a novel environment-friendly xylanolytic enzyme pretreatment not only as a green pretreatment but also as an economically feasible biorefinery method.

Potential of a gypsum-free composting process of wheat straw for mushroom production

Wheat straw based composting generates a selective substrate for mushroom production. The first phase of this process requires 5 days, and a reduction in time is wished. Here, we aim at understanding the effect of gypsum on the duration of the first phase and the mechanism behind it. Hereto, the regular process with gypsum addition and the same process without gypsum were studied during a 5-day period. The compost quality was evaluated based on compost lignin composition analysed by py-GC/MS and its degradability by a commercial (hemi-)cellulolytic enzyme cocktail. The composting phase lead to the decrease of the pyrolysis products 4-vinylphenol and 4-vinylguaiacol that can be associated with p-coumarates and ferulates linking xylan and lignin. In the regular compost, the enzymatic conversion reached 32 and 39% for cellulose, and 23 and 32% for xylan after 3 and 5 days, respectively. In absence of gypsum similar values were reached after 2 and 4 days, respectively. Thus, our data show that in absence of gypsum the desired compost quality was reached 20% earlier compared to the control process.

Understanding the structural and chemical changes of plant biomass following steam explosion pretreatment

BACKGROUND

Biorefining of lignocellulosic biomass has become one of the most valuable alternatives for the production of multi-products such as biofuels. Pretreatment is a prerequisite to increase the enzymatic conversion of the recalcitrant lignocellulose. However, there is still considerable debate regarding the key features of biomass impacting the cellulase accessibility. In this study, we evaluate the structural and chemical features of three different representative biomasses (Miscanthus × giganteus, poplar and wheat straw), before and after steam explosion pretreatment at increasing severities, by monitoring chemical analysis, SEM, FTIR and 2D NMR.

RESULTS

Regardless the biomass type, combined steam explosion pretreatment with dilute sulfuric acid impregnation resulted in significant improvement of the cellulose conversion. Chemical analyses revealed that the pretreatment selectively degraded the hemicellulosic fraction and associated cross-linking ferulic acids. As a result, the pretreated residues contained mostly cellulosic glucose and lignin. In addition, the pretreatment directly affected the cellulose crystallinity but these variations were dependent upon the biomass type. Important chemical modifications also occurred in lignin since the β-O-4' aryl-ether linkages were found to be homolytically cleaved, followed by some recoupling/recondensation to β-β' and β-5' linkages, regardless the biomass type. Finally, 2D NMR analysis of the whole biomass showed that the pretreatment preferentially degraded the syringyl-type lignin fractions in miscanthus and wheat straw while it was not affected in the pretreated poplar samples.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide an enhanced understanding of parameters impacting biomass recalcitrance, which can be easily generalized to both woody and non-woody biomass species. Results indeed suggest that the hemicellulose removal accompanied by the significant reduction in the cross-linking phenolic acids and the redistribution of lignin are strongly correlated with the enzymatic saccharification, by loosening the cell wall structure thus allowing easier cellulase accessibility. By contrast, we have shown that the changes in the syringyl/guaiacyl ratio and the cellulose crystallinity do not seem to be relevant factors in assessing the enzymatic digestibility. Some biomass type-dependent and easily measurable FTIR factors are highly correlated to saccharification.

Exploring accessibility of pretreated poplar cell walls by measuring dynamics of fluorescent probes

BACKGROUND

The lignocellulosic cell wall network is resistant to enzymatic degradation due to the complex chemical and structural features. Pretreatments are thus commonly used to overcome natural recalcitrance of lignocellulose. Characterization of their impact on architecture requires combinatory approaches. However, the accessibility of the lignocellulosic cell walls still needs further insights to provide relevant information.

RESULTS

Poplar specimens were pretreated using different conditions. Chemical, spectral, microscopic and immunolabeling analysis revealed that poplar cell walls were more altered by sodium chlorite-acetic acid and hydrothermal pretreatments but weakly modified by soaking in aqueous ammonium. In order to evaluate the accessibility of the pretreated poplar samples, two fluorescent probes (rhodamine B-isothiocyanate-dextrans of 20 and 70 kDa) were selected, and their mobility was measured by using the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) technique in a full factorial experiment. The mobility of the probes was dependent on the pretreatment type, the cell wall localization (secondary cell wall and cell corner middle lamella) and the probe size. Overall, combinatory analysis of pretreated poplar samples showed that even the partial removal of hemicellulose contributed to facilitate the accessibility to the fluorescent probes. On the contrary, nearly complete removal of lignin was detrimental to accessibility due to the possible cellulose-hemicellulose collapse.

CONCLUSIONS

Evaluation of plant cell wall accessibility through FRAP measurement brings further insights into the impact of physicochemical pretreatments on lignocellulosic samples in combination with chemical and histochemical analysis. This technique thus represents a relevant approach to better understand the effect of pretreatments on lignocellulose architecture, while considering different limitations as non-specific interactions and enzyme efficiency.

Contrasted enzymatic cocktails reveal the importance of cellulases and hemicellulases activity ratios for the hydrolysis of cellulose in presence of xylans

Various enzymatic cocktails were produced from two Trichoderma reesei strains, a cellulase hyperproducer strain and a strain with β-glucosidase activity overexpression. By using various carbon sources (lactose, glucose, xylose, hemicellulosic hydrolysate) for strains growth, contrasted enzymatic activities were obtained. The enzymatic cocktails presented various levels of efficiency for the hydrolysis of cellulose Avicel into glucose, in presence of xylans, or not. These latter were also hydrolyzed with different extents according to cocktails. The most efficient cocktails (TR1 and TR3) on Avicel were richer in filter paper activity (FPU) and presented a low ratio FPU/β-glucosidase activity. Cocktails TR2 and TR5 which were produced on the higher amount of hemicellulosic hydrolysate, possess both high xylanase and β-xylosidase activities, and were the most efficient for xylans hydrolysis. When hydrolysis of Avicel was conducted in presence of xylans, a decrease of glucose release occurred for all cocktails compared to hydrolysis of Avicel alone. Mixing TR1 and TR5 cocktails with two different ratios of proteins (1/1 and 1/4) resulted in a gain of efficiency for glucose release during hydrolysis of Avicel in presence of xylans compared to TR5 alone. Our results demonstrate the importance of combining hemicellulase and cellulase activities to improve the yields of glucose release from Avicel in presence of xylans. In this context, strategies involving enzymes production with carbon sources comprising mixed C5 and C6 sugars or combining different cocktails produced on C5 or on C6 sugars are of interest for processes developed in the context of lignocellulosic biorefinery.

Evaluation of Lignocellulosic Biomass Degradation by Combining Mid- and Near-Infrared Spectra by the Outer Product and Selecting Discriminant Wavenumbers Using a Genetic Algorithm

Mid-infrared (MIR) and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy provide useful information on the molecular composition of biological systems. Because they are sensitive to organic and mineral components, there is a growing interest in these techniques for the development of biomarkers that reflect intrinsic characteristics of plants and their mode of degradation. Due to their complexity and complementary nature, an important challenge is the combining of MIR and NIR information to identify discriminating wavenumbers in each wavenumber region, with the ultimate goal of assessing the biodegradation process of a lignocellulosic biomass at different time scales. This work investigates the potential of using the outer product to combine MIR and NIR spectra to highlight the connections between fundamental molecular vibrations and their combinations and bonds. Because this operation yields high-dimensional spectra, we propose to use a genetic algorithm to select the most discriminant wavenumbers within the degradation process. The results from two lignocellulosic biomasses with different biodegradation kinetics, miscanthus aerial parts and maize roots, confirm that the outer product combination of MIR and NIR spectral information allows a better discrimination of the biodegradation kinetic compared with the simple concatenation of MIR and NIR spectra or with the use of MIR or MIR spectral information separately. We show that the genetic algorithm selects wavenumbers that correspond to principal vibrations of chemical functional groups of compounds that undergo degradation/conversion during the biodegradation of the lignocellulosic biomass.

Evaluation of aqueous ammonia pretreatment for enzymatic hydrolysis of different fractions of bamboo shoot and mature bamboo

The production of fermentable sugars from different fractions of bamboo shoots and mature bamboos (Phyllostachys heterocycla var. pubescens) by cellulase and/or xylanase was investigated. Aqueous ammonia pretreatment exhibited high but different delignification capacities for different bamboo fractions. Supplementation of cellulases with xylanase synergistically improved the glucose and xylose yields of mature bamboo fractions. High hydrolyzability was observed in the hydrolysis of both non-pretreated and pretreated bamboo shoot fractions, suggesting pretreatment was not necessary for the hydrolysis of bamboo shoots. High hydrolyzability together with the advantages of low lignin content, fast growth, and widely distribution demonstrated that bamboo shoots were excellent lignocellulosic materials for the production of bioethanol and other biochemicals.

Dynamic study of how the bacterial breakdown of plant cell walls allows the reconstitution of efficient hemicellulasic cocktails

Designing more efficient mixtures of enzymes is necessary to produce molecules of interest from biomass lignocellulosic fractionation. The present study aims to investigate the strategies used by the thermophilic and hemicellulolytic bacterium Thermobacillus xylanilyticus to fractionate wheat bran and wheat straw during its growth. Results demonstrated ratios and levels of hemicellulases produced varied during growth on both biomasses. Xylanase activity was mainly produced during stationary stages of growth whereas esterase and arabinosidase activities were detected earlier. This enzymatic profile is correlated with the expression pattern of genes encoding four hemicellulases (two xylanases, one arabinosidase and one esterase) produced by T. xylanilyticus during growth. Based on identification of the bacterial strategy, the synergistic efficiency of the four hemicellulases during the hydrolysis of both substrates was evaluated. The four hemicellulases worked together with high degree of synergy and released high amounts of xylose, arabinose and phenolic acids from wheat bran and wheat straw.

Isolation of high quality lignin as a by-product from ammonia percolation pretreatment of poplar wood

A two-step process combining percolation-mode ammonia pretreatment of poplar sawdust with mild organosolv purification of the extracted lignin produced high quality, high purity lignin in up to 31% yield and 50% recovery. The uncondensed fraction of the isolated lignin was up to 34%, close to that the native lignin (40%). Less lignin was recovered after pretreatment in batch mode, apparently due to condensation during the longer residence time of the solubilised lignin at elevated temperature. The lignin recovery was directly correlated with its molecular weight and its nitrogen content. Low nitrogen incorporation, observed at high ammonia concentration, may be explained by limited homolytic cleavage of β-O-4 bonds. Ammonia concentrations from 15% to 25% (w/w) gave similar results in terms of lignin structure, yield and recovery.

Impact of an N-terminal extension on the stability and activity of the GH11 xylanase from Thermobacillus xylanilyticus

To understand structure-function relationships in the N-terminal region of GH11 xylanases, the 17 N-terminal amino acids of the GH11 xylanase from Neocallimastix patriciarum (Np-Xyn) have been grafted onto the N-terminal extremity of the untypically short GH11 xylanase from Thermobacillus xylanilyticus (Tx-Xyn), creating a hybrid enzyme denoted NTfus. The hybrid xylanase displayed properties (pH and temperature optima) similar to those of the parental enzyme, although thermostability was lowered, with the Tm value, being reduced by 5°C. Kinetic assays using oNP-Xylo-oligosaccharides (DP2 and 3) indicated that the N-extension did not procure more extensive substrate binding, even when further mutagenesis was performed to promote this. However, these experiments confirmed weak subsite -3 for both NTfus and the parental enzyme. The catalytic efficiency of NTfus was shown to be 17% higher than that of the parental enzyme on low viscosity wheat arabinoxylan and trials using milled wheat straw as the substrate revealed that NTfus released more substituted oligosaccharide products (Xyl/Ara=8.97±0.13 compared to Xyl/Ara=9.70±0.21 for the parental enzyme), suggesting that the hybrid enzyme possesses wider substrate selectivity. Combining either the parental enzyme or NTfus with the cellulolytic cocktail Accellerase 1500 boosted the impact of the latter on wheat straw, procuring yields of solubilized xylose and glucose of 23 and 24% of theoretical yield, respectively, thus underlining the benefits of added xylanase activity when using this cellulase cocktail. Overall, in view of the results obtained for NTfus, we propose that the N-terminal extension leads to the modification of a putative secondary substrate binding site, a hypothesis that is highly consistent with previous data.

Organosolv pretreatment of Sitka spruce wood: conversion of hemicelluloses to ethyl glycosides

A range of Organosolv pretreatments, using ethanol:water mixtures with dilute sulphuric acid, were applied to Sitka spruce sawdust with the aim of generating useful co-products as well as improving saccharification yield. The most efficient of the pretreatment conditions, resulting in subsequent saccharification yields of up to 86%, converted a large part of the hemicellulose sugars to their ethyl glycosides as identified by GC/MS. These conditions also reduced conversion of pentoses to furfural, the ethyl glycosides being more stable to dehydration than the parent pentoses. Through comparison with the behaviour of model compounds under the same reaction conditions it was shown that the anomeric composition of the products was consistent with a predominant transglycosylation reaction mechanism, rather than hydrolysis followed by glycosylation. The ethyl glycosides have potential as intermediates in the sustainable production of high-value chemicals.

Novel perspectives for evolving enzyme cocktails for lignocellulose hydrolysis in biorefineries

The unstable and uncertain availability of petroleum sources as well as rising cost of fuels have shifted global efforts to utilize renewable resources for the production of greener energy and a replacement which can also meet the high energy demand of the world. Bioenergy routes suggest that atmospheric carbon can be cycled through biofuels in carefully designed systems for sustainability. Significant potential exists for bioconversion of biomass, the most abundant and also the most renewable biomaterial on our planet. However, the requirements of enzyme complexes which act synergistically to unlock and saccharify polysaccharides from the lignocellulose complex to fermentable sugars incur major costs in the overall process and present a great challenge. Currently available cellulase preparations are subject to tight induction and regulation systems and also suffer inhibition from various end products. Therefore, more potent and efficient enzyme preparations need to be developed for the enzymatic saccharification process to be more economical. Approaches like enzyme engineering, reconstitution of enzyme mixtures and bioprospecting for superior enzymes are gaining importance. The current scenario, however, also warrants the need for research and development of integrated biomass production and conversion systems.

Biochemical properties of a novel thermostable and highly xylose-tolerant β-xylosidase/α-arabinosidase from Thermotoga thermarum

BACKGROUND

β-Xylosidase is an important constituent of the hemicellulase system and it plays an important role in hydrolyzing xylooligosaccharides to xylose. Xylose, a useful monose, has been utilized in a wide range of applications such as food, light, chemical as well as energy industry. Therefore, the xylose-tolerant β-xylosidase with high specific activity for bioconversion of xylooligosaccharides has a great potential in the fields as above.

RESULTS

A β-xylosidase gene (Tth xynB3) of 2,322 bp was cloned from the extremely thermophilic bacterium Thermotoga thermarum DSM 5069 that encodes a protein containing 774 amino acid residues, and was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The phylogenetic trees of β-xylosidases were constructed using Neighbor-Joining (NJ) and Maximum-Parsimony (MP) methods. The phylogeny and amino acid analysis indicated that the Tth xynB3 β-xylosidase was a novel β-xylosidase of GH3. The optimal activity of the Tth xynB3 β-xylosidase was obtained at pH 6.0 and 95°C and was stable over a pH range of 5.0-7.5 and exhibited 2 h half-life at 85°C. The kinetic parameters Km and Vmax values for p-nitrophenyl-β-D-xylopyranoside and p-nitrophenyl-α-L-arabinofuranoside were 0.27 mM and 223.3 U/mg, 0.21 mM and 75 U/mg, respectively. The kcat/Km values for p-nitrophenyl-β-D-xylopyranoside and p-nitrophenyl-α-L-arabinofuranoside were 1,173.4 mM-1 s-1 and 505.9 mM-1 s-1, respectively. It displayed high tolerance to xylose, with Ki value approximately 1000 mM. It was stimulated by xylose at higher concentration up to 500 mM, above which the enzyme activity of Tth xynB3 β-xylosidase was gradually decreased. However, it still remained approximately 50% of its original activity even if the concentration of xylose was as high as 1000 mM. It was also discovered that the Tth xynB3 β-xylosidase exhibited a high hydrolytic activity on xylooligosaccharides. When 5% substrate was incubated with 0.3 U Tth xynB3 β-xylosidase in 200 μL reaction system for 3 h, almost all the substrate was biodegraded into xylose.

CONCLUSIONS

The article provides a useful and novel β-xylosidase displaying extraordinary and desirable properties: high xylose tolerance and catalytic activity at temperatures above 75°C, thermally stable and excellent hydrolytic activity on xylooligosaccharides.

The hemicellulolytic enzyme arsenal of Thermobacillus xylanilyticus depends on the composition of biomass used for growth

Background

Thermobacillus xylanilyticus is a thermophilic and highly xylanolytic bacterium. It produces robust and stable enzymes, including glycoside hydrolases and esterases, which are of special interest for the development of integrated biorefineries. To investigate the strategies used by T. xylanilyticus to fractionate plant cell walls, two agricultural by-products, wheat bran and straw (which differ in their chemical composition and tissue organization), were used in this study and compared with glucose and xylans. The ability of T. xylanilyticus to grow on these substrates was studied. When the bacteria used lignocellulosic biomass, the production of enzymes was evaluated and correlated with the initial composition of the biomass, as well as with the evolution of any residues during growth.

Results

Our results showed that T. xylanilyticus is not only able to use glucose and xylans as primary carbon sources but can also use wheat bran and straw. The chemical compositions of both lignocellulosic substrates were modified by T. xylanilyticus after growth. The bacteria were able to consume 49% and 20% of the total carbohydrates in bran and straw, respectively, after 24 h of growth. The phenolic and acetyl ester contents of these substrates were also altered. Bacterial growth on both lignocellulosic biomasses induced hemicellulolytic enzyme production, and xylanase was the primary enzyme secreted. Debranching activities were differentially produced, as esterase activities were more important to bacterial cultures grown on wheat straw; arabinofuranosidase production was significantly higher in bacterial cultures grown on wheat bran.

Conclusion

This study provides insight into the ability of T. xylanilyticus to grow on abundant agricultural by-products, which are inexpensive carbon sources for enzyme production. The composition of the biomass upon which the bacteria grew influenced their growth, and differences in the biomass provided resulted in dissimilar enzyme production profiles. These results indicate the importance of using different biomass sources to encourage the production of specific enzymes.

Microwave pretreatment of defatted rice bran for enhanced recovery of total phenolic compounds extracted by subcritical water

Enhanced recovery of total phenolics (TP) from defatted rice bran (DRB) subjected to prior microwave pretreatment was achieved by subcritical water extraction (SWE). The effects of microwave pretreatment temperature (60-100°C) and duration (0-30 min) were determined at raw material:water ratios (1:2 and 1:5) for SWE under fixed conditions. Optimal extraction was observed at 80°C (for 10 min, at a ratio of 1:2). With pretreatment carried out under these conditions, a shorter extraction time of 10 min was required for SWE at 200°C. Combining both optimized conditions, a TP yield of 190.4±3.3 mg/g of DRB was achieved, some 55% more than was found to be extractable from un-pretreated samples. The antioxidant activity of the extract was also greater, as indicated by a corresponding decrease in IC(50) from 38.8±0.4 to 27.7±0.5 μg/ml.

Effect of hemicellulase addition during enzymatic hydrolysis of switchgrass pretreated by soaking in aqueous ammonia

The focus of this study was to determine the effect of supplementing cellulase with hemicellulase during enzymatic hydrolysis of switchgrass pretreated by soaking in aqueous ammonia (SAA) under a range of conditions. SAA was performed using 15% aqueous ammonia for 8 or 24h at temperatures of 40 or 60°C. The combined effect of cellulase and hemicellulase loadings on glucose yield during enzymatic hydrolysis was modeled for each pretreatment condition. Glucose yields greater than 85% of theoretical were achieved for pretreatment at 40°C for 24h and for 60°C for 8h. Hemicellulase supplementation was not sufficient to achieve these glucose yields at lower severity SAA pretreatment. High severity SAA pretreatment also led to low yields despite improved delignification.

Synthesis, characterization and swelling behavior of superabsorbent wheat straw graft copolymers

Swelling behavior is an important characteristic for superabsorbents. A wheat straw-based superabsorbent (WS-SAB) was prepared by graft copolymerization of acrylic acid, acrylic amide and dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride onto the cellulose of wheat straw, and its swelling and deswelling behavior was investigated. The product had a water absorbency of 133.76 g/g in distilled water and 33.83 g/g in 0.9 wt.% NaCl solution. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy indicated that the monomers were successfully grafted onto the wheat straw. The largest swelling capacity was at pH 6. The effect of ions on the swelling was in the order: Na(+)>K(+)>Mg(2+)>Ca(2+) and Cl(-)>SO(4)(2-). The swelling capacity did not change after several times of water absorption and release.

Fusarium verticillioides secretome as a source of auxiliary enzymes to enhance saccharification of wheat straw

Fusarium verticillioides secretes enzymes (secretome), some of which might be potentially useful for saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass since supplementation of commercial cellulases from Trichoderma reesei with the F. verticillioides secretome improved the enzymatic release of glucose, xylose and arabinose from wheat straw by 24%, 88% and 68%, respectively. Determination of enzymatic activities revealed a broad range of hemicellulases and pectinases poorly represented in commercial cocktails. Proteomics approaches identified 57 proteins potentially involved in lignocellulose breakdown among a total of 166 secreted proteins. This analysis highlighted the presence of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) targeting pectin (from glycoside hydrolase families GH5, GH27, GH28, GH43, GH51, GH54, GH62, GH88 and GH93, polysaccharide lyase family PL4 and carbohydrate esterase family CE8) and hemicelluloses (from glycoside hydrolase families GH3, GH10, GH11, GH30, GH39, GH43 and GH67). These data provide a first step towards the identification of candidates to supplement T. reesei enzyme preparations for lignocellulose hydrolysis.